The bodies of the two remaining Italian tourists who went missing while diving in the Maldives have been successfully recovered following an extensive recovery operation involving Maldivian authorities and international diving experts.
The recovery effort, which concluded on 20 May, marks the end of a multi-day search operation that mobilised significant resources from the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) Coast Guard, the police service, and a team of experienced Finnish technical divers sent in by the Italian government.
The four victims were located inside a cave system where they had been diving, according to government officials. Recovery operations proceeded in stages, with two bodies recovered the day before and the remaining two retrieved today.
Identification of the recovered remains is currently underway, Chief Government Spokesperson Mohamed Hussain Shareef confirmed to PSM News. Authorities are now coordinating with the Italian government to facilitate the repatriation of the bodies to Italy, he added.
The spokesperson took the opportunity to express gratitude to all parties who contributed to the recovery mission. He additionally thanked the two local companies that provided voluntary assistance throughout the operation, as well as the MNDF and police personnel whose coordinated efforts made the successful outcome possible.
The search operation was triggered when the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre received a report at 1:45 pm on 14 May regarding the disappearance of five Italian divers.
The group, which included an Italian diving instructor and four tourist divers, had failed to resurface at their expected time. Upon receiving the information, the MNDF immediately launched comprehensive search operations by both sea and air. The first body recovered was identified as that of the diving instructor.
The three Finnish divers who spearheaded the recovery effort brought considerable international experience to the mission, having previously participated in similar underwater recovery operations across various countries around the world.