"Divers in the Maldives searched Saturday for the bodies of four Italian divers believed to be deep inside an underwater cave, after rough weather repeatedly hampered the effort the previous day. Maldives Presidential Spokesman Mohammed Hussain Shareef said that the searchers have prepared a plan based on their progress exploring the cave on Friday."
"Italy's Foreign Ministry said earlier that the dive group are believed to have died while exploring a cave at a depth of about 50 meters (160 feet) in Vaavu Atoll on Thursday. Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said everything possible would be done to bring the victims home. His ministry said it was coordinating with Divers Alert Network, a specialist diving organization, to support recovery operations and the repatriation of the bodies. The cause of the deaths remains under investigation."
"The victims have been identified as Monica Montefalcone, an associate ecology professor at the University of Genoa; her daughter Giorgia Sommacal; marine biologist Federico Gualtieri; researcher Muriel Oddenino; and diving instructor Gianluca Benedetti, according to the Maldivian government. Benedetti's body was recovered on Thursday."
"Montefalcone and Oddenino were in the Maldives on an official scientific mission to monitor marine environments and study the effects of climate change on tropical biodiversity, the University of Genoa said in a statement Friday. It added, however, that the scuba diving activity during which the deadly accident occurred was not part of the planned research and was "undertaken privately.""
"Cave diving is a highly technical and dangerous activity that requires specialized training, equipment and strict safety protocols. Risks increase sharply in environments where divers cannot head straight up and at depth, particularly when conditions are poor."
Divers in the Maldives searched for the bodies of four Italian divers believed to be inside an underwater cave after rough weather repeatedly disrupted recovery attempts. A search plan was prepared based on progress made exploring the cave on Friday. The Italian Foreign Ministry said the divers were believed to have died while exploring a cave at about 50 meters depth in Vaavu Atoll on Thursday, and it coordinated with Divers Alert Network to support recovery and repatriation. The deaths’ cause remained under investigation. The victims were identified as Monica Montefalcone, Giorgia Sommacal, Federico Gualtieri, Muriel Oddenino, and diving instructor Gianluca Benedetti. Benedetti’s body was recovered on Thursday. Montefalcone and Oddenino were in the Maldives for an official scientific mission, while the scuba diving during the accident was undertaken privately.
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