Gov’t Moves to Permit and Regulate Technical Diving After Fatal Incident
Map of dive sites in the Maldives. | Photo: Blue Force Fleet
The government has announced plans to introduce a “Tech-Wreck” diving law to regulate technical diving activities in the Maldives following the recent underwater cave tragedy in which five Italian divers died.
President’s Office Chief Spokesperson, Mohamed Hussain Shareef, made the announcement during the “Presser with the Spox” briefing yesterday.
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According to Shareef, the new legislation would establish a framework to permit technical diving operations currently prohibited in the Maldives, including cave exploration beyond the existing 30-metre regulatory limit.
Technical or “Tech-Wreck” diving refers to advanced forms of diving that go beyond standard recreational limits. It can include deep diving, cave diving and wreck penetration using specialist breathing equipment, gas mixtures and decompression procedures. Such dives generally require extensive training, certification and experience due to the increased risks involved.
He said permits would be issued to researchers and certified technical divers once the law comes into force.
Shareef stated that the activity involves researchers and “Tech-Wreck” divers using specialised equipment and performing operations that require advanced expertise and experience. He added that the government intends to regulate the sector under strict guidelines.
He also said rules needed to be established to govern such activities and expressed hope that the legislation could be introduced soon.
Shareef further noted that there are experienced Maldivian divers capable of undertaking technical diving operations.
The announcement follows the deaths of five Italian divers who were exploring an underwater cave in the Maldives. Their bodies were recovered by a Finnish rescue team and later repatriated to Italy.
During the search operation, Maldives National Defence Force diver Staff Sergeant Mohamed Mahudhee also died. The Maldives Police Service is investigating whether negligence contributed to his death.
