The local authorities in the Maldives have confirmed the recovery of two bodies of Italian divers who drowned in a tragic accident that occurred last week. The specialized divers from Finland successfully retrieved the bodies from the third chamber of an underwater cave following a two-hour operation. The dive team had been exploring the depths near Vaavu Atoll when the incident occurred. The two bodies are being transported to the capital city, Male, for identification.
They were part of a group of five divers from Italy; the first body of diving instructor Gianluca Benedetti was retrieved shortly after the dive. Additionally, a Maldivian rescue diver tragically lost his life during the search for the missing. On Monday, Finnish divers located the remaining divers in the cave, known locally as 'shark cave,' which is notoriously deep, reaching depths of up to 60 meters.
Recovery efforts for the last two bodies are set to resume on Wednesday. Officials hope that these discoveries will provide insights into the circumstances surrounding the accident, especially considering the complex conditions that rescuers face due to reduced visibility and cave depth. Notably, the weather was harsh during the incident, with a yellow warning issued for diver safety.
Four of the divers were affiliated with the University of Genoa, which has faced scrutiny over the approval of the dive. A spokesperson from the university confirmed that they had suspended deep-sea dive authorizations and stated the dive was not conducted as part of their scientific research. Family members, including the father of one of the divers, have raised concerns regarding the university's adherence to safety protocols during the dive.
They were part of a group of five divers from Italy; the first body of diving instructor Gianluca Benedetti was retrieved shortly after the dive. Additionally, a Maldivian rescue diver tragically lost his life during the search for the missing. On Monday, Finnish divers located the remaining divers in the cave, known locally as 'shark cave,' which is notoriously deep, reaching depths of up to 60 meters.
Recovery efforts for the last two bodies are set to resume on Wednesday. Officials hope that these discoveries will provide insights into the circumstances surrounding the accident, especially considering the complex conditions that rescuers face due to reduced visibility and cave depth. Notably, the weather was harsh during the incident, with a yellow warning issued for diver safety.
Four of the divers were affiliated with the University of Genoa, which has faced scrutiny over the approval of the dive. A spokesperson from the university confirmed that they had suspended deep-sea dive authorizations and stated the dive was not conducted as part of their scientific research. Family members, including the father of one of the divers, have raised concerns regarding the university's adherence to safety protocols during the dive.
