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Maldives Diving Tragedy Claims Five Italians, Rescue Diver Dies in Recovery Operation
The Pulse
AccidentWorldHOTSunday, May 17, 2026

Maldives Diving Tragedy Claims Five Italians, Rescue Diver Dies in Recovery Operation

TLDR

  • Six died: 5 Italians, 1 Maldivian diver in Vaavu Atoll.

  • All five Italian divers' bodies recovered from 60m cave.

  • Maldivian diver Mohamed Mahudhee died during recovery.

  • Investigation probes extreme depth, exceeding limits.

Five Italian divers have died while exploring underwater caves in the Maldives' Vaavu Atoll on Thursday. The group went missing after descending to depths of 50-60 meters in caves reportedly known for strong currents and complex tunnels. Tragically, a Maldivian rescue diver, Staff Sergeant Mohamed Mahdhee, died while participating in the perilous operation to recover the bodies. This incident is considered potentially the worst single diving accident in the nation's history.

5 Updates

Update #6\u00b7 May 20 · 8:46 AM

The last two bodies of the Italian divers have been recovered, completing the recovery operation for the five victims. They were retrieved from the third chamber of the underwater cave at the Devana Kandu site. Maldivian authorities are investigating potential causes, including whether the group descended far deeper than expected.

Update #5\u00b7 May 19 · 12:46 PM

The bodies of two Italian divers have been successfully recovered from the underwater cave in Vaavu Atoll at a depth of approximately 60 meters. The recovery operation, conducted by specialist Finnish divers from the third chamber of the cave, took two hours. The bodies are being transported to the capital, Male, for identification. Two bodies still remain inside the cave. Search operations resumed following an earlier suspension.

Update #4\u00b7 May 18 · 2:46 PM

The bodies of the four Italian divers have been located inside a cave in Vaavu Atoll at a depth of 60 meters, but have not yet been brought to the surface. The Maldivian National Defence Force (MNDF) has indicated that further dives are planned in the coming days for the recovery operation.

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