Five divers died in the Thursday, May 14 accident, with the first body found hours later
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(773x336:775x338):format(webp)/giorgia-sommacal-monica-montefalcone-gianluca-benedetti-051826-1-5d4d145a2f2543e3a65cd9a622fd2a64.jpg)
Giorgia Sommacal; Monica Montefalcone; Gianluca Benedetti.Credit : Giorgia Sommacal/Instagram; University of Genoa; Fotogramma/ROPI via ZUMA Press
The bodies of four Italian tourists who went missing while scuba diving in the Maldives last week have been found.
Five divers went missing during the incident in an underwater cave on Thursday, May 14, with one found hours later.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(749x0:751x2):format(webp)/vaavu-atoll-maldives-search-rescue-051826-2-e1c3b3278635403cbab541526a8ddd66.jpg)
Search and recovery efforts on Saturday, May 16.SOPHIA NASIF/EPA/Shutterstock
The Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) shared on X on Monday, May 18, “The bodies of four missing divers has been located inside the Vaavu atoll cave on a joint search & recovery operation conducted by MNDF CG, @PoliceMv and a team of experts arranged by the Italian Government. Further dives to be carried out in the coming days to recover the bodies.”
The bodies of the tourists were found inside a 197-foot-deep cave in Vaavu Atoll by a team of Finnish and Maldivian divers, local authorities confirmed to the BBC. It’s thought they were found in the same cave where the first body was found.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(449x0:451x2):format(webp)/monica-montefalcone-051526-1a-e35a8d5dc430409895f901c88807f3ac.jpg)
Monica Montefalcone.University of Genoa
Four of the divers had ties to the Università di Genova in Italy: Professor Monica Montefalcone, her daughter Giorgia Sommacal, research assistant Muriel Oddenino, and recent graduate Federico Gualtieri.
They were joined by Gianluca Benedetti, a boat operations manager and diving instructor.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(749x0:751x2):format(webp)/gianluca-benedetti-051826-1-18857bdce61544aba3ac131a285aabd3.jpg)
Gianluca Benedetti.Fotogramma/ROPI via ZUMA Press
Speaking with local newspaper La Repubblica, Montefalcone’s husband said that his wife “would never have put the life of our daughter or other kids at risk,” and suggested that “something must have happened.”
On Saturday, May 16, a rescue diver also died while searching for the bodies in what is thought to be the worst single diving accident in the country.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(749x0:751x2):format(webp)/giorgia-sommacal-051526-1-fcc041cefbab4665b8facfc43c5a5185.jpg)
Giorgia Sommacal.Giorgia Sommacal/Instagram
He was later identified as Staff Sergeant Mohamed Mahdhee. A spokesperson for the Maldivian government told the BBC he was part of a group of eight rescue divers.
The other divers realized he wasn’t with them when they surfaced, and they went back into the water to find him unconscious.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(749x0:751x2):format(webp)/vaavu-atoll-maldives-search-rescue-051826-1-4ebee0dede9544e9a6fa5b2b95ec689c.jpg)
Search and recovery efforts on Saturday, May 16.SOPHIA NASIF/EPA/Shutterstock
Per Genoa-based newspaper Il Secolo XIX, authorities have launched an investigation to find out why the group descended below the 30-meter diving limit in the island country. The diving license of the Duke of York yacht, which coordinated the trip, has been suspended indefinitely, too.
PEOPLE has reached out to the MNDF and Italy’s foreign ministry for further updates but did not immediately hear back.
News
Jury Response: Karmelo Anthony’s mother pleaded for mercy for her son, but the jury had only one thing to say
Karmelo Anthony’s mom took the stand to plead with the jury set to determine her son’s fate, TMZ has learned. Kala Hayes testified minutes after her son was found guilty of murdering Austin Metcalf. She told the 12-person jury she knows her son is very sorry for what he did. Frisco Memorial Football Prosecutors asked Kala if she still […]
Defense Move: Karmelo Anthony’s attorney is making headlines after unveiling new evidence following his client’s appeal filing
As the jury deliberates in the anthony karmelo trial murder trial, here’s a look at his defense attorney Mike Howard. Jurors have reached a verdict in the murder trial of Karmelo Anthony, the Texas teenager accused of fatally stabbing fellow student Austin Metcalf during a high school track meet in Frisco last year, as per […]
New Evidence: Karmelo Anthony’s lead defense attorney has unexpectedly released new evidence just after his client filed an appeal
As the jury deliberates in the anthony karmelo trial murder trial, here’s a look at his defense attorney Mike Howard. Jurors have reached a verdict in the murder trial of Karmelo Anthony, the Texas teenager accused of fatally stabbing fellow student Austin Metcalf during a high school track meet in Frisco last year, as per […]
Seven-Hour Hearing: The opening moments of Karmelo Anthony’s sentencing hearing are now dr@wing intense reaction acr0ss the country
McKINNEY, Texas – Karmelo Anthony, the teenager who fatally stabbed a fellow student during a high school track meet last year, has been sentenced to 35 years in prison. The 19-year-old was convicted earlier Tuesday for the April 2, 2025, murder of Austin Metcalf, 17, at a stadium in the Dallas suburb of Frisco. LIVE Updates 9:15 […]
“My son is inn0cent”: Karmelo Anthony’s mother 3rupted in court moments after learning the punishment her son would face
A courtroom sketch shows Karmelo Anthony, center, at the defense table Thursday in McKinney, Texas, during his murder trial in the fatal stabbing of 17-year-old Austin Metcalf at a track meet last year. Closing arguments are set for Tuesday. Pat Lopez/AP AP — A teenager who fatally stabbed a competitor at a Texas high school track meet was […]
“My son did nothing wr0ng”: Karmelo Anthony’s mother appeared to lose c0ntrol in court after hearing her son’s sentence
A courtroom sketch shows Karmelo Anthony, center, at the defense table Thursday in McKinney, Texas, during his murder trial in the fatal stabbing of 17-year-old Austin Metcalf at a track meet last year. Closing arguments are set for Tuesday. Pat Lopez/AP AP — A teenager who fatally stabbed a competitor at a Texas high school track meet was […]
End of content
No more pages to load
