“We are deeply saddened by this tragedy, and our thoughts and prayers are with the families,” Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu said as rescuers searched for four missing Italian divers near a deep underwater cave.
Monica Montefalcone, one of the five Italian scuba divers who died near Alimathaa in the Maldives archipelago while exploring an underwater cave. (Photo: AP/Greenpeace)
16 May 2026 02:29AM
(Updated: 16 May 2026 07:06AM)
MALÉ, Maldives: Rescue teams in the Indian Ocean archipelago of the Maldives searched for a second day on Friday (May 15) for the bodies of four missing Italians following the country's deadliest diving accident, officials said.Italy's foreign ministry said on Thursday night that five citizens had died while diving, with Maldivian authorities recovering one body.Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu said searching for the remaining four Italians "remains our highest priority"."We are deeply saddened by this tragedy, and our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the deceased Italian, the missing four Italians and everyone affected," Muizzu said in a statement on social media.Maldives Minister of Tourism Mohamed Ameen said coastguard officers and security forces were scouring remote seas around a deep cave where the divers were reported missing on Thursday afternoon.A dive by rescuers ended Friday without any trace of the missing Italians.Government spokesman Mohamed Hussain Shareef said the authorities had marked out the search area and would resume when weather improves.He said the victims were believed to be trapped inside a cave at a depth of about 60m (196ft)."The weather is not ideal for diving, and we are facing very rough seas. We have deployed our largest Coast Guard vessel to the area, and Italian diplomats are also on site," Shareef told AFP.
