Bodies of Remaining Four Missing Divers Found in Vaavu Atoll Search Operation; Additional Dives to Be Carried Out To Recover Bodies

The bodies of the four Italian divers who went missing during an underwater cave dive in Vaavu Atoll have been located, authorities confirmed today.

According to the president’s office spokesperson Ibrahim Mohamed Shareef, the bodies were found during a joint search and recovery operation conducted by the Maldives National Defence Force Coast Guard, the Maldives Police Service, and a team of specialised deep-diving experts arranged by the Italian government.

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Authorities said additional dives will be carried out in the coming days to recover the bodies from the cave.

The divers went missing last week during an underwater cave expedition in Vaavu Atoll. One member of the group had previously been found dead, while the remaining four had remained unaccounted for despite ongoing search efforts.

The incident drew significant public attention in the Maldives, and globally after a member of the MNDF involved in the rescue mission died from decompression illness sustained during diving operations.