Five Italians die during cave dive in Maldives

Five Italians person died successful a scuba diving mishap successful the Maldives, the overseas ministry successful Rome has said.

"The divers are believed to person died portion attempting to research caves astatine a extent of 50 metres (164ft)," the ministry said, adding that this happened successful Vaavu Atoll.

The Maldives' subject said 1 assemblage had been recovered successful a cave astir 60 metres underwater, and the different 4 divers were believed to beryllium besides there.

It said divers with peculiar instrumentality had been sent to the area, describing a hunt cognition arsenic a precise precocious risk.

The incidental 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 5 Italians entered the h2o connected Thursday morning, section media reported.

The unit of the diving vas they were travelling connected reported them missing erstwhile they failed to resurface aboriginal on.

Police said the upwind was unsmooth successful the area, astir 100km (62 miles) southbound of the superior Malé. A yellowish informing was issued for rider boats and fishermen.

The University of Genoa aboriginal said the victims included a marine biology professor, her girl and 2 young researchers.

In a connection connected X, the assemblage expressed its "deepest condolences" to the victims.

Diving and snorkelling accidents are comparatively uncommon successful the Maldives, though respective fatalities person been reported successful caller years.

In 2024, a Japanese lawmaker died portion snorkelling successful Lhaviyani Atoll.