Diver in Maldives dies in attempt to recover bodies of four Italians
A tourist, along with guides, returns after an open-water diving session near Rasfannu Beach in Malé on May 15 (AFP/Getty)
A Maldivian military diver, Mohamed Mahudhee, tragically died from decompression sickness during a search operation for four Italian nationals presumed dead in an underwater cave.
The four Italian divers are believed to have perished on Thursday after exploring a cave at a depth of 50 metres in Vaavu Atoll, significantly exceeding the Maldives’ 30-metre recreational diving limit.
One of the five Italian divers, Gianluca Benedetti, was recovered on Thursday, while the remaining four are thought to be deep within the cave.
Rough weather has repeatedly hindered recovery efforts, with Italian experts expected to join the mission to retrieve the bodies.
The dive boat, ‘Duke of York’, has had its operating license suspended pending an investigation into the incident.
