Bodies of Italian divers did not have optimal equipment, says rescuer

A subordinate of the diving squad that recovered the bodies of Italian scuba divers successful the Maldives has said the instrumentality they were recovered with "was not optimal".

Images from wrong the cave wherever the 4 Italians were discovered earlier this week were taken by Finnish diver Sami Paakkarinen, who told Italian media "the bodies were each unneurotic successful 1 conception of the cave", which helium said was precise heavy and "very challenging".

The assemblage of the archetypal diver was recovered soon aft the 5 disappeared successful a scuba diving mishap astatine the 60-metre-deep (197ft) cave successful Vaavu Atoll.

It took respective days earlier the remainder of the radical were recovered heavy wrong the cave by a squad of specializer Finnish and Maldivian divers.

A Maldivian rescue diver died past play portion searching for the bodies of the group.

It is believed to beryllium the worst azygous diving mishap successful the tiny Indian Ocean nation, a fashionable tourer destination due to the fact that of its drawstring of coral islands.

The 4 bodies recovered earlier this week are expected to beryllium repatriated to Italy connected Saturday and station mortem examinations volition instrumentality spot successful the coming days.

Paakkarinen told La Repubblica paper that erstwhile the squad recovered the bodies they realised the origin could person been a "tragic quality error" but yet it would beryllium for investigators to find what happened.

He besides questioned wherefore the divers were wrong the cave "without the due equipment" arsenic helium said himself and his chap rescuers would ne'er person ventured into specified an situation without a scuba diving reel oregon usher enactment for information which helium described arsenic "Ariadne's thread".

The diving reel is utilized to usher divers done analyzable oregon hazardous terrain underwater.

"In general, for those who sojourn caves, it's known that it's not precise omniscient to bash truthful without a information line.

"Unfortunately, successful astir cave diving accidents, the main origin is ever quality error."

Paakkarinen was cautious not to spell into item but said "the instrumentality we recovered them with wasn't optimal. They weren't utilizing underwater caving gear".

Two of the Italian divers - Prof Monica Montefalcone and probe chap Muriel Oddenino from the University of Genoa - were successful the Maldives looking astatine the interaction of clime alteration connected biodiversity.

Giorgia Sommacal, Prof Montefalcone's girl and a pupil astatine the university, and Federico Gualtieri, who was a caller graduate, were besides portion of the diving group.

The archetypal Italian unfortunate to beryllium recovered was vessel operations manager and diving teacher Gianluca Benedetti.

The radical entered the h2o astatine Vaavu Atoll connected 14 May and were reported missing erstwhile they failed to resurface aboriginal on.

Police said the upwind was unsmooth successful the area, astir 100km (62 miles) southbound of the capital, Male, erstwhile the radical went missing. A yellowish informing was issued for rider boats and fishermen.

The Maldivian rescue diver who died portion searching for their bodies has besides been named arsenic Staff Sgt Mohamed Mahdhee.

Mahdhee was portion of a radical of 8 rescue divers who were trying to find the bodies connected Saturday.

The different divers instantly went into the h2o again and they recovered Mahdhee was unconscious.

An probe is ongoing to found the origin of the accident.