The Italian divers had not informed government of their intention to explore underwater caves
Maldivian authorities and Italian prosecutors have launched an official investigation into potential negligence following the deaths of five Italian divers while exploring an underwater cave in Vaavu Atoll. According to the government, the group had failed to provide notification of their intent to enter the cave, and the victims reportedly included individuals who were not on the officially authorized list for the excursion.
A Finnish diver prepares to begin the operation to recover the bodies of two of the four Italian tourists who died inside an underwater cave in Vaavu Atoll. The recovery efforts took place on Tuesday, May 19, 2026. | President's Office
The Maldivian government has stated it was unaware that a group of five Italian divers, who died during a diving excursion in the Maldives, were exploring an underwater cave. Two separate investigations have been launched into the incident, including a probe into potential culpable homicide.
Following the discovery of divers' remains within an underwater cave in Vaavu Atoll, the Maldivian government and prosecutors in Rome, Italy, have announced the official commencement of investigations into the matter.
According to information obtained by the Italian news agency ANSA, in addition to the ongoing investigation by the Maldivian government, prosecutors in Rome have launched an investigation into the incident on charges of culpable homicide.
It remains unclear exactly which individual or parties are being targeted in this investigation.
The spokesperson for the President's Office, Mohamed Hussain Shareef, stated that the government's investigation will primarily focus on whether the organizers of the trip implemented the "necessary safety measures" and if adequate planning had been undertaken.
"We believe that recovering the bodies will reveal significant information related to that part of the investigation," Shareef told the Associated Press (AP). "However, the fact remains that diving into underwater caves is inherently an extremely dangerous task."
According to Shareef, diving permits have been issued to the group led by Monica Montefalcone, a marine researcher and Associate Professor of Ecology at the University of Genoa.
"Even though authorization has been granted to those parties, there are still certain deficiencies in the submitted research proposals," Shareef stated.
He stated that the group had not informed the Maldivian government of their intentions to explore the underwater cave.
"We do not know the exact location where they were diving," Sharif said.
Furthermore, he stated that two of the deceased were not included in the list of researchers submitted by the organizers.
"Consequently, we were unaware that they were also participants in this journey. All these matters are currently under review," Shareef stated.
"According to the information we have received, visibility inside the cave will be near zero," Shareef stated.
The Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF) stated that the divers went missing last Thursday while exploring a cave in Vaavu Atoll.
An MNDF diver, who was involved in the operation to recover the bodies of the victims in this incident, also passed away last Saturday.
Officials described the recovery effort as an "extremely dangerous, high-risk operation." According to AP, the mission had to be temporarily suspended last Friday due to deteriorating weather conditions.
Italy’s National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology, in collaboration with the University of Genoa, has released the identities of the divers who perished. The victims include Montefalcone and his daughter, Giorgia Somacal, a biomedical engineering student at the University of Genoa. Also among the deceased are Muriel Odenino, a research fellow at the university, and Federico Gualtieri, a marine biologist who had recently graduated in marine biology and ecology.
Furthermore, the institute confirmed that diving instructor Gianluca Benedetti was among those who lost their lives.
According to government reports, the bodies were discovered at a depth of approximately 200 feet. Officials noted that the maximum depth permitted for recreational diving in the Maldives is approximately 100 feet.
The government announced on Monday that a Finnish diving team had discovered four bodies deep within the cave. Divers returned to the cave on Wednesday to retrieve the remaining two bodies.
The government has confirmed that the four bodies were discovered together within the third chamber, which is the largest section of the cave.
Government officials stated that during the early stages of the operation, the body of the diving instructor from the missing group was discovered outside the cave.
