Breaking: The search for four Italians inside an underwater cave in the Maldives has been temporarily paused for a special reason

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — Authorities in the Maldives have suspended the search for four Italian divers trapped deep inside an underwater cave following the death of a military rescue diver.

The five Italians are believed to have died Thursday while exploring a cave system at a depth of about 160 feet (50 meters) in the Vaavu Atoll—well beyond the country’s legal recreational diving limit of 98 feet (30 meters). The body of one group member, diving instructor Gianluca Benedetti, was recovered near the cave’s entrance that same day, leading authorities to conclude the others swam deeper inside.

The search was officially halted after Maldives National Defense Force diver Mohamed Mahudhee died from decompression sickness shortly after being rushed to a hospital in the capital, according to presidential spokesperson Mohamed Hussain Shareef. Mahudhee was buried with military honors late Saturday, with President Mohamed Muizzu in attendance.

The Maldives government identified the missing victims as Monica Montefalcone, an associate professor of ecology at the University of Genoa; her daughter, student Giorgia Sommacal; marine biologist Federico Gualtieri; and researcher Muriel Oddenino.

While the group was in the Maldives on a coral sampling research trip, authorities described the fatal dive as a “private spontaneous activity.” The tour operator stated they were unaware of the group’s intent to dive to such extreme depths. Despite their overall diving experience, the victims were reportedly using standard recreational equipment rather than the specialized gear required for deep cave diving.

Italy’s Foreign Ministry described the cave as a labyrinth comprising three large chambers connected by extremely narrow passages. The extreme depth, complex layout, poor visibility, and severe weather have made recovery efforts exceptionally treacherous. Rescue teams had only managed to search two of the three chambers before retreating due to oxygen constraints and the risk of decompression sickness.

Search strategies are now being reevaluated. Three Finnish deep-sea and cave diving experts arrived in the Maldives on Sunday and are working with the coast guard to formulate a new approach to recover the bodies.