A Maldivian military diver died during recovery efforts for four Italian divers who lost their lives in an underwater cave in Vaavu Atoll. The group of five, including scientists and a diving instructor, descended to about 50 meters—well beyond the 30-meter recreational limit in the Maldives—during what officials confirmed was a private dive unrelated to their scientific mission. One body, that of instructor Gianluca Benedetti, was recovered near the cave entrance on Thursday. The remaining four are believed to be inside the cave’s third chamber, which search teams planned to enter on Saturday.

The Maldivian National Defense Force diver, Mohamed Mahudhee, died from decompression sickness after a dive related to the operation. Rough weather and complex cave conditions have hampered recovery. The Maldives has suspended the operating license of the dive vessel 'Duke of York' pending investigation. Italian authorities are coordinating with diving experts and the Divers Alert Network to support recovery and repatriation.

Among the deceased were Monica Montefalcone, an ecology professor, and Muriel Oddenino, both on an official research mission for the University of Genoa studying climate change impacts. Their students, Giorgia Sommacal and Federico Gualtieri, were also on the trip but not part of the formal research. The incident underscores the dangers of cave diving, where narrow passages, depth, and limited visibility dramatically increase risk, even for experienced divers.