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Italy’s Foreign Ministry said on Monday that rescuers found the bodies inside an underwater cave in the Maldives of four Italian divers who disappeared during a dangerous dive far from recreational limits. Italy’s Foreign Ministry said on Monday.
Finnish cave-dive experts found the bodies in the innermost part of the cave system at Vaavu Atoll, where divers disappeared Thursday while exploring at a depth of about 160 feet, officials said. The limit for recreational diving in the Maldives is 98 feet.
“As previously thought, all four bodies were found inside the cave, not only inside the cave but in the third section of the cave, which is the largest section,” said Maldives government spokesman Ahmed Sham, adding that the victims were found “pretty much together.”
The Thinwana Kandu cave system where the bodies were found is known locally as “Shark Cave”.
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Monica Montefalcon, one of five Italian scuba divers who died near Alimatha in the Maldives archipelago while exploring an underwater cave, is shown in this undated photo released by Greenpeace Italia May 15, 2026. (Greenpeace Italia/AP)
Officials said the recovery team planned to retrieve two bodies on Tuesday and the remaining two the next day.
The discovery comes after authorities resumed the search following the death of a Maldivian military diver involved in the rescue operation. Mohammed Mahdi died of decompression sickness on Saturday after attempting to reach trapped divers.
Maldives National Defense Force member Mohammed Mahdi died of decompression sickness during the dangerous mission, officials said. (Maldives National Defense Force)
A fifth Italian diver, previously identified as a dive instructor, was found dead outside the cave earlier.
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The special Finnish team used advanced closed-circuit rebreather systems, allowing longer and deeper dives in the confined environment of the cave.
Divers prepare to search for four missing Italian divers near Alimatha Island, Vaavu Atoll, Maldives, on May 15, 2026. (Media Division of the President of Maldives/AP)
Search efforts were repeatedly delayed due to rough seas and dangerous underwater conditions as crews mapped and marked the cave entrance before venturing deeper inside.
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Authorities are investigating the situation and the cause of death of the divers.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
