Five Italians died while exploring underwater caves in the Maldives
Kyiv • UNN
Five Italians died while exploring underwater caves in the Maldives. The bodies were discovered at a depth of 60 meters following a large-scale rescue operation.
Five tourists from Italy have died in a diving accident in the Maldives. Among the dead are a professor of ecology and her daughter, UNN reports, citing Sky News.
Details
The Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that on Thursday, the group was exploring underwater caves at the Vaavu Atoll at a depth of about 50 meters.
The diplomatic department provided no further details regarding the identities of the victims or the cause of the accident, but stated that all five were Italian citizens and an investigation is ongoing.
The University of Genoa named four of the victims: ecology professor Monica Montefalcone, her daughter Giorgia Sommacal, who was a student, research fellow Muriel Oddenino, and marine biology graduate Federico Gualtieri.
In a statement published on its website, the university noted: "The entire university community expresses its condolences to the families, colleagues, and students who shared their human and professional journey."
Montefalcone was an award-winning marine biologist, well-known for her television appearances and dedication to nature conservation projects.
"I have dedicated my entire life to discovering and studying the wonders that live beneath the surface of our seas," she told a local TV channel, according to Sky TG24, after receiving the 2022 Atlantis Award for her contribution to the understanding of marine ecosystems and commitment to marine environmental protection.
The fifth victim, according to Italian media reports, was identified as boat operations manager and diving instructor Gianluca Benedetti.
Addendum
The disappearance of the divers was reported by the crew of the diving vessel they were traveling on at around 1:45 PM, when the group failed to surface.
Conditions at the time were described as unfavorable, with a yellow weather warning in effect.
The Maldives Coast Guard and the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) launched a large-scale search and rescue operation. Boats, aircraft, and diving teams were deployed in the area.
"A body has been found among the five divers who were diving at Vaavu Atoll," the MNDF said in a statement to the Italian news agency ANSA.
"The body was found in a cave. It is believed that the other four divers are in the same cave, which extends to a depth of approximately 60m."
Search teams were preparing for a second dive on Friday to locate the remaining four divers.
The Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs added that the Italian Embassy in Sri Lanka is working to contact the families of the victims and provide consular assistance.