Five Italian divers died in the Maldives after disappearing during a scuba expedition near Vaavu Atoll, as authorities continued a difficult underwater recovery operation on Friday.
Maldivian officials said the group, which included an instructor, was believed to have been exploring a deep underwater cave when the accident happened on Thursday.
One body was recovered from around 60 metres below the surface, while the remaining four divers were believed to still be inside the same cave.
“The cave is so deep that divers even with the best equipment do not try to approach,” presidential spokesperson Mohamed Hussain Shareef said.
Italy’s Foreign Ministry said the divers had apparently been attempting to explore caves at a depth of about 50 metres, adding that the exact circumstances of the tragedy remain under investigation.
