Five Italian Divers Perish in Maldives’ Deadliest Cave Diving Accident
Five Italian nationals, including a leading marine biologist and her daughter, have died in what Maldivian authorities describe as the country’s worst single diving accident. The group went missing on May 14 while exploring an underwater cave in Vaavu Atoll, about 100 kilometres south of Malé. They had boarded the liveaboard yacht Duke of York and never resurfaced after entering a complex tunnel known for strong currents. Maldives National Defence Force teams launched an extensive search using aircraft, speedboats and technical divers. The first body was found at 60 metres inside the cave, and four others remain trapped in a 200-foot tunnel system. Experts point to factors such as nitrogen narcosis, oxygen toxicity or getting lost in narrow passages. The University of Genoa and Italy’s foreign ministry have sent condolences and are coordinating consular assistance.
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