A high-risk operation to recover the bodies of four Italian divers from an underwater cave in the Maldives has been suspended after rough seas repeatedly hampered efforts.Five Italian divers died on Thursday in what authorities have called one of the worst diving incidents in the island nation’s recent history.Speaking a day after the body of a fifth member of the dive group was recovered on Thursday, Italy’s foreign minister, Antonio Tajani, said: “Unfortunately, the searches are suspended due to bad weather, but we will do everything possible to recover the bodies of our compatriots.” The recovery operation is expected to resume on Saturday.Italy’s foreign ministry said the dive group had “apparently died while attempting to explore caves at a depth of 50m (164ft)” in the Vaavu Atoll on Thursday.The victims were identified as Monica Montefalcone, an associate ecology professor at the University of Genoa; her daughter Giorgia Sommacal; marine biologist Federico Gualtieri; researcher Muriel Oddenino; and diving instructor Gianluca Benedetti, according to the Maldivian government.Mr Benedetti’s body was recovered on Thursday.Maldivian presidential spokesman Mohamed Hussain Shareef said eight divers took part in Friday’s search and, working in pairs, explored the depths and drew up a map to continue the mission on Saturday.He said Benedetti’s body was found near the mouth of the cave and authorities believed the remaining four had entered the cave.Two Italians – a deep-sea rescue expert and a cave-diving expert – are expected to join the recovery effort, Mr Shareef said.Italian officials said about 20 other Italians who were on the same expedition aboard a vessel named the Duke of York were safe. The vessel was searching for safe harbour amid poor weather, and was waiting for conditions to improve before returning to Malé, the Italian ministry said.The Italian ministry said it was co-ordinating with the Divers Alert Network, a specialist diving organisation, to support recovery operations and the repatriation of the bodies.It said the cave entered by the five divers was divided into three large chambers connected by narrow passages. Recovery teams explored two of the three chambers, but the search was limited due to considerations over oxygen and decompression.They would explore the third chamber on Saturday, the ministry said.Montefalcone’s husband, Carlo Sommacal, said he believed something unexpected must have occurred and ruled out recklessness on her part.“Something must have happened,” he told Italian TV channel Rete 4.He said his wife was a disciplined diver who carefully weighed risks before each descent. He recalled her telling him at times: “This one I can do, you can’t.”Sommacal said his wife survived the 2004 tsunami while diving off Kenya, resurfacing with other experienced divers despite the danger, and later returned to diving after a lengthy recovery from serious health complications.“She had two lives – one on land and one in her environment, the water,” he said.Cave diving is a highly technical and dangerous activity that requires specialised training, equipment and strict safety protocols.Risks increase sharply in overhead environments and at depth, particularly when conditions deteriorate.Experts say it is easy to become disoriented or lost inside caves, particularly as sediment clouds can sharply reduce visibility.Diving at 50m also exceeds the maximum depth recommended for recreational divers by most major established scuba certifying agencies, with depths beyond 40m considered technical diving, which requires specialised training and equipment.The recreational diving limit in the Maldives is 30m. – AP