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In a tragic turn of events, rescue teams have discovered the remains of four Italian divers who had gone missing during an ambitious dive into an underwater cave in the Maldives. The Italian Foreign Ministry confirmed the grim discovery on Monday, occurring days after the divers embarked on their perilous exploration beyond typical safety boundaries.
Expert cave divers from Finland managed to locate the bodies in the deepest recesses of the cave network located in Vaavu Atoll. The divers had been exploring at depths reaching approximately 160 feet, significantly exceeding the Maldives’ standard recreational diving depth of 98 feet, when they vanished last Thursday.
“As initially suspected, the bodies were found inside the cave, and not just inside but deep within the third and largest chamber of the system,” stated Ahmed Shaam, a spokesperson for the Maldivian government. He noted that the victims were discovered in close proximity to one another.
The cave system, known locally as “shark cave,” is officially called the Thinwana Kandu cave system, where the unfortunate discovery took place.
In a somber reminder of the risks involved, Monica Montefalcone, one of the five Italian divers who perished near Alimathaa while exploring the underwater cave, is pictured in an undated photo released by Greenpeace Italia on May 15, 2026. (Greenpeace Italia/AP)
Recovery crews plan to retrieve two bodies Tuesday and the remaining two the following day, officials said.
The discovery came after authorities resumed the search following the death of a Maldivian military diver involved in the rescue mission. Mohamed Mahdi died Saturday from decompression sickness after attempting to reach the trapped divers.
Mohamed Mahdi, a member of the Maldivian National Defense Force, died from decompression sickness during the dangerous mission, officials said. (Maldives National Defense Force)
A fifth Italian diver, identified earlier as a diving instructor, was previously found dead outside the cave.
The specialized Finnish team used advanced closed-circuit rebreather systems, allowing for longer and deeper dives in the cave’s confined environment.
Divers prepare to search for four missing Italian divers near Alimathaa Island, Vaavu Atoll, Maldives, on May 15, 2026. (Maldives President’s Media Division/AP)
Rough seas and hazardous underwater conditions repeatedly delayed search efforts as crews mapped and marked the cave entrance before pushing deeper inside.
Authorities continue to investigate the situation and what led to the divers’ deaths.
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