The deaths of five Italian divers in a Vaavu Atoll scuba diving accident last Thursday shocked the world. Now, investigators are trying to piece together what went wrong.
University of Genoa marine biology professor Monica Montefalcone, her 20-year-old daughter Giorgia Sommacal, Muriel Oddenino, Gianluca Benedetti, and Federico Gualtieri all died in the scuba diving tragedy. Sergeant Major Mohammed Mahudhee also died during the search operation.
According to reports, the tragedy is believed to be the deadliest single diving incident in Maldives history. Officials confirmed that the Italian divers were found inside a 97-foot-deep cave, according to the BBC. Authorities also said four of the victims were discovered inside what has been described as a “shark cave.”
As the bodies were recovered, Laura Marroni, CEO of DAN Europe, said: “Today’s result is the outcome of extraordinary preparation, technical excellence, and exceptional teamwork,” according to VT.
“We are deeply grateful to the specialists on site, who are operating with professionalism, discipline, and humanity in demanding environments.”
Maldives scuba diving tragedy
Now, Italian prosecutors in Rome have opened a culpable homicide investigation into the heartbreaking tragedy as questions continue to surround what happened. According to Bored Panda, the Maldives government has also launched its own probe into the case.
Mohamed Hussain Shareef, a spokesperson for the Maldives president’s office, said investigators are focusing on whether those responsible for the expedition “took the correct precautions.”
“We believe that the retrieval of the bodies will itself reveal a lot, as far as that part of the investigation is concerned,” Shareef said, according to Associated Press.
The permit reportedly issued to the divers allowed them to descend to 164 feet – significantly deeper than the usual 98-foot limit mandated under Maldivian law.
According to Shareef, the Maldives government was not informed that the group planned to explore the “shark cave.” He also said two of the divers were not included on the list of people issued permits for the expedition, according to Bored Panda.
“We didn’t know they were part of the expedition as well. So, all these factors are being reviewed,” he said, adding that there were “certain gaps in the research proposal.”
It has not been confirmed whether the Italian homicide investigation is tied to any specific person or group. According to reports, autopsies will be conducted once the bodies are returned to Italy, and those aboard the Duke of York are expected to be questioned.
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