Five Italian nationals have died in a diving disaster while exploring a deep underwater cave at Vaavu Atoll in the Maldives. Italy's foreign ministry reported that the divers apparently died while attempting to explore caves at a depth of 50 metres.
The University of Genoa stated that the victims included a marine biology professor, her daughter, and two young researchers.
Recovery efforts for the bodies were repeatedly hampered by bad weather, leading Maldivian authorities to temporarily suspend the high-risk operation on Friday. During the attempt to recover the bodies, a rescue diver also lost his life. The Maldivian National Defense Force confirmed that Staff Sergeant Mohamed Mahudhy passed away while receiving treatment at a hospital after being listed in critical condition.
Search operations for the bodies of the Italian divers have since resumed.