SHAH ALAM - A scuba diving expedition in the Maldives turned into one of the deadliest marine tragedies in the country’s history after five Italian divers, including a university professor and her daughter, died during a deep cave exploration near Vaavu Atoll on May 14.
The incident has sparked international attention not only because of the scale of the disaster, but also due to the dangerous conditions surrounding the dive, the death of a Maldivian military diver during recovery operations and growing questions over whether the group exceeded legal recreational diving limits in Maldivian waters.
Who were the victims?
The victims were identified as five Italian nationals who entered an underwater cave system on May 14 during a scuba excursion in the Maldives. They were:
- Diving instructor Gianluca Benedetti
- Marine ecology professor Monica Montefalcon
- Montefalcone's 20-year-old daughter Giorgia Sommacal
- Research fellow Muriel Oddenino
- Federico Gualtieri, a recent marine ecology graduate linked to the University of Genoa
According to Italian authorities, the group had been travelling aboard the 118-foot Duke of York, operated by Italian tour company Albatros Top Boat, alongside approximately 20 other passengers.
A sixth diver reportedly intended to join the expedition but decided against entering the water at the last moment.
Where did the accident happen?
The tragedy unfolded near Vaavu Atoll, about 100 kilometres south of the Maldivian capital of Male. Vaavu Atoll is internationally recognised for its coral reefs, strong ocean currents, underwater caves and advanced dive sites that attract experienced divers from around the world.
Authorities said the divers entered a cave system known as the Alimatha cave network, where the entrance lies roughly between 55 and 58 metres below the surface.
Maldivian diving expert Shafraz Naeem, who has explored the cave dozens of times, described it as extremely hazardous even for highly trained divers.
“I have made at least 50 dives in the Alimatha caves, with the right precautions and equipment. Each time was a fantastic experience but with the knowledge of the extreme risks I was taking.
“Deep cave diving is generally considered advanced technical diving that requires specialised training, rigorous procedures, proper gas planning and appropriate equipment configurations,” he said.
What went wrong?
Investigators are still determining the exact cause of the tragedy, but authorities believe multiple factors may have contributed.
Maldives government spokesperson Mohamed Hussain Shareef said officials suspect the divers descended significantly deeper than recreational diving regulations allow.
“For recreational and commercial diving, by law, nobody is allowed to go further than 30 metres. Unfortunately, this appears to have happened a lot deeper because even the cave’s mouth is almost 50 metres under,” Shareef said on May 18.
According to authorities, the divers may have reached depths between 50 and 60 metres using standard recreational equipment rather than specialised technical cave-diving systems.
Italian lawyer Orietta Stella, representing Albatros Top Boat, reportedly said the company “did not know” the divers intended to exceed the legal depth limit and “would have never allowed it.”
She also stated the group appeared to be using ordinary recreational diving gear rather than equipment typically required for technical cave exploration.
Naeem said the conditions inside the cave could quickly trigger cascading emergencies.
“It would be irresponsible to say exactly what happened without a thorough investigation. But in my experience, a cave dive to almost 58 metres in normal air already has multiple risk factors.
“At that depth, nitrogen narcosis can severely impair consciousness. Gas consumption increases rapidly and in an environment such as a cave, ascending to the surface is very complex.
“Factors such as narcosis, stress, disorientation, loss of visibility, navigation problems, insufficient gas reserves, equipment problems, separation from the group or panic could combine rapidly in extreme underwater environments,” he explained.
Why is cave diving so dangerous?
Unlike ordinary scuba diving, cave diving places divers inside enclosed underwater environments where direct ascents to the surface are impossible. Divers can become trapped, lose visibility, run out of breathing gas or become disoriented inside narrow tunnels.
At greater depths, risks increase dramatically due to nitrogen narcosis, oxygen toxicity, rapid air consumption, decompression sickness and intense water pressure.
Authorities also said rough sea conditions may have worsened the situation on the day of the incident. The Maldives had reportedly issued a yellow marine warning because of dangerous weather conditions affecting fishermen and passenger vessels.
Recovery operations became extremely dangerous
The recovery mission itself became another tragedy after Mohamed Mahudhee, a 43-year-old Maldives National Defence Force diver, died during operations on May 16.
Authorities said he suffered decompression sickness, commonly known as “the bends,” while ascending from the cave.
“He was one of the most senior divers, which shows just how challenging this dive is,” Shareef said.
Mahudhee later received full military honours during his funeral in Male, attended by hundreds of mourners, including Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu, cabinet ministers, military personnel and senior officials.
Search efforts resumed with support from Finnish technical divers from Divers Alert Network Europe, alongside assistance from Maldivian authorities and equipment support from the United Kingdom and Australia.
The bodies of the four missing Italians were eventually located deep inside the cave system on May 18 after a technically demanding three-hour operation using specialised rebreather systems and diver propulsion vehicles.
Investigation continues
Maldivian authorities have suspended the operating licence of the Duke of York pending a full investigation. Officials are expected to examine dive planning, weather conditions, equipment used, safety procedures, certification levels and whether legal depth regulations were violated.
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said authorities would do everything possible to return the victims home.
The tragedy has since become a major international story and a stark reminder of the risks associated with deep technical cave diving, even for experienced divers operating in one of the world’s most famous diving destinations.