Extreme depth made fatal cave dive perilous at luxury honeymoon destination

The hunt for the remaining bodies of the Italian divers who perished wrong a heavy underwater cave successful the Maldives continued Tuesday, arsenic officials described the betterment ngo arsenic "very challenging."

The 5 Italians, who went missing connected Thursday, were killed portion diving adjacent Alimathaa, a dive site, successful Vaavu Atoll, arsenic The Associated Press reported earlier and arsenic Fox News Digital besides reported. 

Authorities person recovered 3 of the divers' bodies — 2 connected Tuesday, and 1 earlier. The different 2 bodies person been located but not yet recovered, the AP reported.

UNDERWATER TRAGEDY IN MALDIVES LEAVES FAMILIES SEARCHING FOR ANSWERS AFTER CAVE DEATHS

Mohamed Hussain Shareef, spokesperson for Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu, told the AP the cognition was particularly unsafe due to the fact that of the cave's utmost depth.

"Number one, due to the fact that of the depth. Number two, due to the fact that of [the] existent terrain, due to the fact that that circumstantial transmission has beardown currents, beardown downdrafts down toward — and the conditions down there, the visibility, for example, erstwhile you participate the cave, would beryllium astir zero," helium said.

The victims included Giorgia Sommacal, Muriel Oddenino and Monica Montefalcone, each shown above. (Facebook/Giorgia Sommacal; Facebook/Muriel Oddenino; Greenpeace Italia/AP)

Shareef said the cave had been explored by some overseas divers and section experts earlier the tragedy.

The authoritative confirmed that the Italian divers had permits to research it, but authorities were not definite of the precise country of the cave they were diving in.

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The bodies were recovered astir 200 feet underwater — astir doubly the ineligible extent bounds for recreational diving successful the Maldives, according to the AP.

Shareef said astatine slightest 2 of the dormant divers were not included connected the expedition database submitted to authorities earlier the dive.

Rescue divers are shown preparing to hunt for missing Italian divers adjacent Alimathaa Island, Vaavu Atoll, Maldives, connected May 15, 2026. (Maldives President's Media Division/AP)

"[We] didn’t cognize they were portion of the expedition," helium said. "Actually a precise challenging dive, you know."

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Maldives officials said the Finnish squad assisting successful the betterment cognition located the bodies heavy wrong the cave, wherever each 4 victims were recovered "pretty overmuch together," the AP said. 

The victims were identified arsenic University of Genoa ecology prof Monica Montefalcone, her girl Giorgia Sommacal, marine biologist Federico Gualtieri, researcher Muriel Oddenino, and diving teacher Gianluca Benedetti.

The Maldives, southwest of India and Sri Lanka, is celebrated for its beaches, coral reefs and luxury land resorts. (Carl Court/Getty Images)

Vaavu Atoll is simply a concatenation of islands successful the cardinal Maldives, located southwest of Sri Lanka and India.

Authorities were alerted aft the divers failed to aboveground by midday Thursday amid unsmooth upwind conditions, according to the AP.

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The origin of the deaths remains nether investigation, though the radical included experienced divers and marine researchers acquainted with underwater exploration.

Carlo Sommacal, Montefalcone's husband, told section paper La Repubblica that his woman "would ne'er person enactment the beingness of our girl oregon different kids astatine risk."

Officials successful the Maldives person been trying to retrieve the remaining deceased members of the radical that perished during a dive.  (Maldives National Defense Force)

"Something indispensable person happened," helium said successful a antithetic interrogation with an Italian tv station, per the AP.

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Stephen Sorace of Fox News Digital, arsenic good arsenic The Associated Press, contributed reporting.