Two bodies have been recovered among the Italian divers who were lost during a dive.
According to the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF), all four missing tourists were located during an operation conducted yesterday involving the MNDF Coast Guard, police services, and foreign expert divers arranged by the Italian government.
The MNDF said the bodies were found inside the cave where the group had been diving. Three experienced Finnish divers, brought to the Maldives by the Italian government to assist in the recovery operation, were described by the MNDF as specialists who had previously worked on similar missions in various countries around the world.
The MNDF Coast Guard Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) had received reports at approximately 13:45 on Thursday that five Italian divers had gone missing while diving in Vaavu Atoll. Subsequently, the MNDF launched an extensive search operation utilising both maritime vessels and aircraft to locate the divers.