Rescue operations begin for Italian divers killed in scuba dive excursion in Maldives
Rescue vessels from the Maldivian Coast Guard have reached the site where five Italian divers lost their lives. On board are divers from the Coast Guard and police, as well as an Italian expert diver who has previously worked with the authorities, Qazinform News Agency reports.
The Ambassador of Italy to Colombo (accredited to the Maldives) has arrived in Malé, a statement from the Italian Foreign Ministry reads.
Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation of the Maldives Mohammed Ameen reported via X that the Coast Guard and all relevant authorities are actively engaged in the search and recovery operation.
According to Xinhua, the Maldives National Defence Force said aircraft and speedboats had been deployed after the five divers were reported missing on Thursday afternoon. It noted that rescuers had recovered one body from inside a cave, and that the remaining four divers are believed to be inside the same cave, which extends to a depth of about 60 meters.
Minister of Tourism of Italy Gianmarco Mazzi expressed his condolences to the relatives of the deceased.
“The tragedy in the Maldives "which took the lives of five of our fellow countrymen on holiday, saddens me deeply. I would like to express my deepest sympathy to the family of Monica Montefalcone and her daughter Giorgia, di Federico Gualtieri, di Muriel Oddenino and George Benedetti. Our thoughts and prayers are with them,” he commented, according to Agenzia Nova.