A soldier who dived today as part of the search and rescue operation for the bodies of Italian divers in the Maldives, conducted by the Maldives National Defense Forces (MNDF), fell ill during the search and reportedly died after being transported to ADK Hospital in critical condition. The Defense Forces themselves confirmed this in a social media post.
This morning, the search for the bodies of the four Italians still trapped in the cave at a depth of sixty meters, where they dived Thursday morning, resumed on the seabed off the Maldivian island of Alimatha. Yesterday, bad weather forced the search to be halted by University of Genoa professor Monica Montefalcone (who had been spending her holidays at the San Vero Milis marina for years), her daughter Giorgia Sommacal, researcher Muriel Oddenino, and recent graduate Federico Gualtieri, a 31-year-old from Omegna.
Strong winds and a yellow weather alert have interrupted the operations involving specialized divers, boats, and air support, monitoring the sea from above. The Maldives National Defense Force has described it as a "high-risk" operation. It is believed that the four Italians are in the same cave where the body of boat captain and diving instructor Gianluca Benedetti from Padua was recovered.
The causes of the tragedy, which involved people familiar with the seabed, remain unclear. Maldivian police are interviewing those aboard the safari boat "Duke of York" and collecting data on the diving equipment used. The Rome Public Prosecutor's Office is also investigating the deaths of the five Italians. The magistrates at Piazzale Clodio, in light of the documents arriving from the diplomatic mission, will assess the circumstances of the case and, if necessary, delegate the matter to law enforcement. A problem with the oxygen mixture in the tank, sudden thermals, or a loss of orientation in a ravine may have prevented the victims from ascending. However, for now, these are merely hypotheses floated by experts pending the outcome of the investigation and autopsy.
Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani is in contact with the Italian Ambassador to Colombo, Damiano Francovigh (responsible for the Maldives), and the Honorary Consul in Malé, Giorgia Marazzi, who are aboard the Coast Guard's support vessel "Ghazee" to oversee the recovery operations. Tajani has instructed the Foreign Ministry to monitor the recovery of the bodies and to offer assistance to the families of the missing and to the Maldivian nationals who must now return to Italy. At his request, the Maldivian police will provide a team to provide psychological support to the Italian nationals involved. Meanwhile, the "Duke of York," the yacht carrying the 25 Italian tourists, including the five deceased divers, has reached the capital, Malé.
(Unioneonline/D)
