Bodies of Italian Divers Found in ‘Shark Cave’ After Tragic Scuba Diving Disaster in Maldives

The bodies of four Italian divers were found in an underwater cave in the Maldives after a scuba diving incident turned deadly.

According to a Monday, May 18, report in the Associated Press, Italy’s foreign ministry said that their bodies were located four days after they were reported missing. A fifth person, diving instructor Gianluca Benedetti, 44, was previously discovered dead after the incident.

The New York Post identified the deceased (via Italy’s foreign ministry) as Monica Montefalcone, 52, her daughter Giorgia Sommacal, 20, Muriel Oddenino, 31, and Federico Gualtieri, 31.

Per the Post, they were discovered in the Thinwana Kandu cave, which is also known as a “shark cave.”

“As was previously thought, the four bodies were found inside the cave, not only inside the cave but well inside the cave into the third segment of the cave, which is the largest part,” Maldives government spokesman Ahmed Shaam said, per AP, adding that they were all found “pretty much together.”

“The plan is they will try and recover two bodies tomorrow and possibly the other two the following day,” Shaam said.

Italy’s foreign ministry previously said via a press release that Sergeant Major Mohammed Mahdi died after diving to retrieve the four Italian divers.

“These days of grief for Italy are exacerbated by the news that one of your brave military, Sergeant Major Mohammed Mahdi, has died while attempting to recover the bodies of our fellow Italians,” Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said in a statement.

“Our government, I personally, and Italy as a whole offer our deepest condolences to the soldier’s family, to the Armed Forces, and to the Maldives’ Government,” Tajani added. “This tragedy unites Italy and the Maldives in grief and respect for the victims.”

Montefalcone’s husband, Carlo Sommacal, spoke out about the incident, saying that his wife was always cautious going into a dive.

“Something must have happened,” he told Italian TV channel Rete 4, per AP, adding that she would sometimes say to him, “This one I can do, you can’t.”