Five Italian divers have died in a scuba accident while exploring a series of underwater caves in the Maldives. The incident has been described as the deadliest diving accident in the country's history.
A major coast guard operation to recover the victims is currently underway. The search involves police divers and rescue vessels, and an Italian expert has joined the efforts to assist in the recovery.
Recovery operations have been hampered by bad weather. A search dive conducted by rescuers on May 15 ended without any trace of the missing Italians.
Only one body has been recovered from the caves thus far. The remaining divers are believed to still be inside the system, which extends to around 60 metres deep.