New details have emerged about the fatal cave diving incident in Vaavu Atoll, where five people lost their lives after entering a dangerous underwater cave system in the Maldives.
According to reports citing international diving experts, the Italian diving group may have become disoriented inside the cave after mistaking a secondary corridor for the exit route.
The group included guide Gianluca Benedetti, marine biology professor Monica Montefalcone, her daughter Giorgia Sommacal, and researchers Federico Gualtieri and Muriel Odenino. All five entered the underwater cave last Thursday.
A Finnish diving team involved in recovering the bodies later revealed that the cave’s internal structure was highly confusing, with narrow corridors, poor visibility and a layout that could easily mislead divers.
An illustration showing what the inside layout of the underwater Alimatha Cave could look like.
Laura Marroni, CEO of DAN Europe, told Italian media that a sandbank near the entrance may have appeared differently when the divers attempted to exit. While it may have been easy to cross while entering, it reportedly looked like a wall or blocked section on the way out, possibly hiding the actual exit route.
The bodies were found inside a misleading corridor where there was reportedly no way out. Experts believe the divers may have consumed their air supply after becoming lost and panicking inside the cave.
Reports also said the divers were using standard 12-litre cylinders, which would have allowed only a short time inside the deeper sections of the cave.
The guide’s body was reportedly found in the first cave section. Experts believe he may have turned back after realizing the others behind him had taken the wrong route, but ran out of air during the attempt.
The incident has raised concerns over the risks of cave diving in the Maldives. Tourists are generally permitted to dive only up to 30 metres under local regulations, and officials have said the authorities had not been informed that the group planned to enter a cave.
A Maldivian military diver, Sergeant Mohamed Mahudhee, also died during the recovery operation.
