One member of an Italian diving group narrowly escaped the incident after a last-minute change of heart
In a tragic diving incident in Vaavu Atoll, five Italian divers went missing after descending 160 feet to explore an underwater cave, though one member of the original group narrowly escaped the ordeal after deciding not to join the dive at the last moment. The missing party includes a professor from the University of Genoa and his son, with search and rescue efforts currently hampered by deteriorating weather conditions. Experts suggest the tragedy may have been caused by oxygen toxicity or a sudden onset of panic during the deep-sea excursion.
The Italian nationals who died while diving in the Maldives have been identified as (from left) Gianluca Benedetti, Monica Montefalcone, Giorgia Somacal, Muriel Odenino, and Federico Gualtieri. | Screen image
An Italian tourist part of a scuba diving group in Vaavu Atoll narrowly escaped death after deciding at the last minute to stay aboard the vessel instead of joining the dive, according to an Italian news outlet. The tragic incident, which occurred on Thursday, claimed the lives of the other five members of the group who had entered the water for the dive.
The student, currently pursuing studies at the University of Genoa, was the sixth member of a group that dived to a depth of 160 feet to explore an underwater cave in Vaavu Atoll. However, he did not enter the water when the rest of the group began their descent.
While the rest of the group went to explore an underwater cave near Alimatha Resort, the exact reason why he remained behind on the safari vessel "Duke of York" remains unclear.
According to media reports, the unidentified student was fully geared up and prepared to go diving. However, he changed his mind at the last minute and decided to remain on the safari vessel.
As the sole direct survivor of the incident, reports indicate that he is a key witness in clarifying the sequence of events leading up to the tragedy. However, authorities stated that there were approximately 24 individuals on board the safari vessel on Thursday, excluding the crew members.
The individuals missing from the diving excursion have been identified as Monica Montefalcone, a professor of marine biology at the University of Genoa, and her 20-year-old daughter, Giorgia Somacal.
Reports indicate that the young woman who survived the incident departed for her home country on Friday.
The three other participants in the excursion—Muriel Odenino of Turin, Gianluca Benedetti of Padua, and Federico Gualtieri of Bogomanero—also failed to resurface after descending for their dive.
Reports indicate that search operations have resumed after being briefly suspended on Friday due to adverse weather conditions. Meanwhile, the police are continuing their investigation into the matter.
Experts suggest that the causes of death for these five divers may include oxygen toxicity and sudden panic.
Speaking to Italian media on Thursday, pulmonologist Dr. Claudio Micheletto stated that a technical failure involving the diving tanks was a potential possibility.
Micheletto, who also serves as the Director of Verona University Hospital, further stated that death resulting from oxygen toxicity is the most terrifying and tragic fatality that can occur during diving.
Alfonso Bolognini, President of the Italian Society of Underwater and Hyperbaric Medicine, stated that panic may have also played a role in the incident.
He stated that when operating inside a cave at a depth of 50 meters, the entire situation can escalate instantly if even a single diver encounters an issue or succumbs to panic.
However, he noted that it is currently difficult to determine exactly what occurred on the seabed.
