President sends condolences to Italy after fatal diving incident

President Mohamed Muizzu on Friday conveyed condolences to Italian President Sergio Mattarella and the people of Italy following a diving incident in Vaavu Atoll that resulted in the death of one Italian national while four others remain missing.

According to the Maldives National Defence Force, the group was reported missing at around 1:45 p.m. on Thursday while diving in waters within Vaavu Atoll.

The MNDF said one body has so far been recovered and search operations remain ongoing for the remaining four individuals.

In a message shared on social media, President Muizzu expressed condolences to the families of the deceased and the missing divers.

The President said the government’s main priority remained the ongoing search and rescue operation and thanked the Italian government for its cooperation and assistance.

The Maldives Police Service initially reported that all five divers had been found dead but later clarified that the statement had been issued in error and confirmed that only one body had been recovered.

According to the MNDF, the body was first located by divers from a safari vessel participating in the search operation.

The discovery was made at around 6:13 p.m. on Thursday.

“The body was found inside a cave at a depth of approximately 60 metres,” the MNDF said.

The body was later transported to the Health Centre in V. Fulidhoo.

Authorities stated that the group, consisting of four tourists and an instructor, had descended to a depth of about 60 metres.

The depth exceeds the standard recreational diving limit of 30 metres generally permitted in the Maldives.