Paris: Five Italian nationals have died in a tragic scuba diving accident in the Maldives while attempting to explore underwater caves in the country's Vaavu Atoll. According to Italy's foreign ministry, the group is believed to have encountered tr
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Paris: Five Italian nationals have died in a tragic scuba diving accident in the Maldives while attempting to explore underwater caves in the country’s Vaavu Atoll.
According to Italy’s foreign ministry, the group is believed to have encountered trouble while diving at a depth of approximately 50 metres during an expedition on Thursday morning.
Among the victims were four members of a team from University of Genoa, including ecology professor Monica Montefalcone, her daughter, and two researchers.
The Maldivian military said one body was located inside an underwater cave nearly 60 metres below the surface, while the remaining four divers are also believed to be in the same area.
Specialized rescue divers equipped for deep-water recovery operations have been deployed, with authorities describing the mission as extremely high-risk.
The divers had entered the water from a diving vessel earlier in the day, but were reported missing after they failed to resurface.
Officials say the incident could be the deadliest single diving accident in the Maldives, one of the world’s most popular diving and tourist destinations.
