5 Italian divers who died in Maldives underwater cave suffered oxygen deprivation
The Finnish team recovered all five bodies within two days, after which they were repatriated to Italy.
Post-mortem examinations have established that five Italian divers who died while exploring an underwater cave in Vaavu Atoll in May died from oxygen deprivation, according to findings reported by Dive Magazine.
The five divers died during an incident on 14 May while diving inside an underwater cave in Vaavu Atoll.
The deceased were identified as Monica Montefalcone, 51, a professor at the University of Genoa; her daughter, Giorgia Somacal, 20, a university student; Muriel Odenino, 31, a university researcher; Federico Gualtieri, 31, also a university researcher; and Gianluca Benedetti, 41, a diving instructor.
According to Dive Magazine, which cited the post-mortem reports, the cause of death was anoxia, a condition in which the body is deprived of the oxygen it requires.
Toxicological examinations found no evidence of harmful substances in the divers' bodies.
The findings also indicated that the air used by the divers for breathing had not been contaminated.
Investigators found no evidence that the divers had lost consciousness underwater due to another medical or external factor. The examinations also ruled out the influence of drugs or alcohol.
The post-mortem reports identified no signs of major physical injuries on the bodies.
The findings also dismissed earlier speculation that the divers had entered the cave to escape a shark attack.
The deaths prompted a search and recovery operation involving Maldivian authorities and diving teams.
During the operation, Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) Staff Sergeant Mohamed Mahudhee, described as one of the military's most experienced divers, died while participating in efforts to locate the missing divers.
Following the incident, a team of experienced Finnish divers travelled to the Maldives to assist in recovering the bodies.
The Finnish team recovered all five bodies within two days, after which they were repatriated to Italy.
The post-mortem findings establish oxygen deprivation as the cause of death, although the report does not specify the sequence of events that led to the divers running out of breathable air underwater.
