Maldivian authorities have retrieved the final two bodies of the Italian scuba divers who perished in what officials are calling the deadliest diving accident in the country’s history, a government spokesperson confirmed Wednesday.
The five divers had entered a deepwater cave at the Devana Kandu site last week with a valid research permit to study soft corals. Maldivian investigators are now examining several potential causes of the tragedy, including the possibility that the group went significantly deeper than planned.
Spokesperson Mohamed Hussain Shareef confirmed that a preliminary identification had established who the victims were, with DNA verification through Interpol and other partners still underway. All bodies are set to be returned to Italy.
The dive was led by Monica Montefalcone, 51, a marine ecologist and University of Genoa professor who was well acquainted with Maldivian waters, and her daughter was also among the group. The instructor’s body was pulled out on Friday, while the remains of two other divers were brought up Tuesday with the help of a specialist team from Finland.
The recovery operation also claimed an additional life: a Maldives National Defence Force diver died from decompression illness on Saturday while searching for the bodies.
Authorities said the investigation would press on to determine exactly what went wrong.
