A tragic incident occurred when five Italian divers died in a diving accident in the Maldives while exploring an underwater cave over 50 meters deep. Authorities are rushing to search for the bodies amid severe weather conditions and high risks.
On 15 May 2026, the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs revealed that the five divers died during an underwater cave exploration operation in the Vaavu Atoll area of the Maldives. It is believed the incident happened while they were exploring a sea cave at a depth of about 50 meters.
The Maldives military reported that one body was found inside the underwater cave at a depth of approximately 60 meters. The other four are believed to still be in the same area. A special diving team was deployed for the operation, as the search mission is considered extremely risky.
Reports indicated that severe weather instability was occurring at the time in the area, located about 100 kilometers from the capital, Malé. Authorities issued a yellow alert for passenger boats and fishermen. The diving group entered the water early on Thursday morning but did not surface as scheduled, prompting the submarine crew to notify authorities that the divers were missing.
The University of Genoa in Italy disclosed that one of the deceased was a professor of marine biology, accompanied by his daughter and two young researchers. The university expressed deep condolences to the families of the deceased.
This incident is regarded as possibly one of the most severe diving accidents in the Maldives, a popular tourist destination in the middle of the Indian Ocean, renowned for its coral reefs and world-class diving sites.
Source: BBC