Five Italians died in a diving accident in the Maldives, the Foreign Ministry in Rome announced, as quoted by the BBC.
“The divers died while trying to explore caves at a depth of 50 meters,” the ministry said, adding that this happened in Vaavu Atoll.
Officials in the Maldives said a body was found in a cave about 60 meters underwater and the other four divers were also believed to be there.
Divers with special equipment were sent to the area, the search operation being very high risk.
The incident is the worst accident in the small Indian Ocean nation, a popular tourist destination for its coral islands.
The five Italians entered the water on Thursday morning, local media reported.
The crew of the diving boat they were on declared them missing after several hours, seeing that they no longer came to the surface.
Police said the weather was difficult in the area, about 100km south of the capital Malé. A yellow warning has been issued for passenger and fishing boats.
The University of Genoa later said the victims included a marine biology professor, her daughter and two young researchers.
In a statement on X, the university expressed its “sincere condolences” to the victims.
Diving and snorkeling accidents are rare in the Maldives, although several deaths have been reported in recent years.
Last December, an experienced British diver drowned off Ellaidhoo Island, and in 2024, a Japanese MP died while snorkeling in Lhaviyani Atoll.
