Rescuers recover Italian divers' bodies in Maldives cave

The bodies of four Italian scuba divers have been recovered from a 60-meter-deep cave in the Maldives' Vaavu Atoll, following a tragic accident that also claimed the life of a Maldivian rescue diver. Finnish diver Sami Paakkarinen, part of the recovery team, stated that the divers' equipment was 'not optimal' and questioned why they entered the cave without safety gear like a diving reel or guide rope, which he described as essential for navigating hazardous underwater terrain. The bodies were found together in a deep, challenging section of the cave, with the first diver's body discovered shortly after the group disappeared. The remaining four bodies were located days later by specialist Finnish and Maldivian divers. The incident is considered the worst single diving accident in the Maldives, a popular tourist destination known for its coral islands. The four recovered bodies are expected to be repatriated to Italy on Saturday, with post-mortem examinations scheduled in the coming days. Paakkarinen suggested that 'tragic human error' may have contributed to the accident, though investigators will determine the exact cause. The divers' group included Monica Montefalcone, 52, her daughter Giorgia Sommacal, 20, Muriel Oddenino, 31, and Federico Gualtieri, 31. The body of diving instructor Gianluca Benedetti was found near the cave's entrance on the day of the disappearance. Images released by the recovery team show the eerie underwater passages where visibility reportedly vanished during the search.