Italy assists nationals after deadly Maldives diving incident UPDATED / PHOTO

The Italian Embassy in Colombo is providing assistance to 20 Italian nationals aboard the tourist vessel Duke of York off the coast of Sri Lanka, following a fatal diving incident linked to the same expedition, Italy’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

The group had been participating in an expedition during which five Italian divers died while exploring underwater caves near the Maldives.

According to the ministry, no one currently on board the vessel has been injured. However, adverse weather conditions are hindering the ship’s return to the port of Malé, complicating logistics and recovery efforts.

The embassy remains in contact with DAN, a specialised diving insurance organisation, which has indicated its readiness to assist with coordinating search operations and providing technical support if needed.

At the same time, prosecutors in Rome have opened an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deaths of the five divers. Authorities are examining several possible causes, including severe weather conditions, potential violations in the use of gas mixtures, and possible equipment-related issues.

Preliminary findings suggest that the dive may have taken place at depths of between 50 and 60 meters, significantly exceeding the approximate safe limit of 30 meters.

Earlier reports indicated that the victims included a professor of marine biology from the University of Genoa, her daughter, and other participants involved in scientific and diving programs. All five were described as experienced divers.

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Five Italian nationals have died in a scuba diving accident in the Maldives, Italy’s foreign ministry in Rome said, in what is believed to be the deadliest single diving incident recorded in the island nation.

“The divers are believed to have died while attempting to explore caves at a depth of 50 metres,” the ministry said, adding that the incident occurred in Vaavu Atoll.

According to available information, four of the victims were members of a University of Genoa team. They included ecology professor Monica Montefalcone, her daughter Giorgia Sommacal, who was also a student, as well as research fellow Muriel Oddenino and marine biology graduate Federico Gualtieri. The fifth victim was identified as Gianluca Benedetti, a boat operations manager and diving instructor.

The Maldives’ military reported that one body had been recovered from a cave approximately 60 metres underwater, while the remaining four divers were believed to be in the same location. It added that divers equipped with specialised gear had been deployed to the area, describing the ongoing search operation as a very high-risk effort.

Local media reported that the five Italians entered the water on Thursday morning, May 14.The crew of the diving vessel they were traveling on raised the alarm after the group failed to resurface.

Police said weather conditions in the area were rough at the time of the incident. The site lies about 100 kilometers south of the capital, Malé, where authorities had issued a yellow warning for passenger boats and fishermen.

In a statement posted on X, the University of Genoa expressed its “deepest condolences” to the victims.

While diving and snorkeling incidents are relatively uncommon in the Maldives, several fatal accidents have been reported in recent years. In December last year, an experienced British female diver died in a scuba incident near the island resort of Ellaidhoo, and her husband died five days later after falling ill. In 2024, a Japanese lawmaker died while snorkeling in Lhaviyani Atoll.

By Tamilla Hasanova