A group of five Italian nationals, including a prominent marine biologist and her daughter, have died in what Maldivian authorities are calling the worst single diving accident in the country’s history. The group went missing on Thursday, May 14, 2026, while attempting an exploratory cave dive in the Vaavu Atoll, roughly 100 kilometers south of the capital, Malé.
The group had been traveling on the luxury liveaboard yacht Duke of York and failed to resurface after entering the water near Alimatha, a site known for its complex underwater caves and strong currents. This prompted the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) to launch a massive search-and-recovery operation involving aircraft, speedboats, and specialized technical divers.
The victims were closely linked to the University of Genoa and Italy’s scientific community. They included Monica Montefalcone, a 51-year-old associate professor of ecology and well-known marine scientist who directed the “Mare Caldo” project, and her 20-year-old daughter, Giorgia Sommacal, a biomedical engineering student.
Also among the deceased were Muriel Oddenino, a 31-year-old research fellow at the University of Genoa; Federico Gualtieri, a marine biology graduate and diving instructor; and Gianluca Benedetti, the boat operations manager and an experienced diving instructor.
The MNDF recovered the first body, later confirmed to be that of Monica Montefalcone—at 6:13 pm on Thursday inside an underwater cave at a depth of approximately 60 meters.
The remaining four divers are believed to be trapped within the same cave system, which extends over 200 feet in length.
The military has described the recovery operation as “highly dangerous and high-risk” due to the extreme depth, which is well beyond the standard recreational limit of 30 meters, as well as rough weather conditions with winds reaching 30 mph and the narrow, confined passages of the cave entrance.
While an official investigation is ongoing, diving experts and local authorities have suggested several potential factors that may have led to the tragedy, such as the group becoming lost within the complex network of underwater tunnels or a failed rescue attempt where one diver became trapped and the others exhausted their air supply while trying to help.
Experts also cited physiological risks like oxygen toxicity or nitrogen narcosis, which are significant during deep dives at 60 meters.
The University of Genoa and Italy’s foreign ministry have expressed deep condolences to the families, noting the immense loss to the scientific community as consular assistance is coordinated through the Italian Embassy in Colombo.