The bodies of four Italian tourists who tragically died during a diving expedition at the Alimatha Cave in Vaavu Atoll have been repatriated to Italy for post-mortem examinations and further investigation.

President’s Office Spokesperson Mohamed Hussain Shareef confirmed that the repatriation process has been completed. He stated that the Maldivian and Italian authorities have agreed to share detailed post-mortem reports once the examinations are finalized in Italy. Independent investigations into the incident are currently being conducted by both nations.

The tragic accident occurred last Thursday when five Italian divers went missing in the Alimatha area. Search and rescue operations initially located the body of one diver at a depth of 60 meters on the day of the incident, which was repatriated earlier. The search for the remaining four individuals faced challenges following the death of MNDF Sergeant First Class Mohamed Mahudhy during the rescue operation, leading to a temporary suspension on Saturday.

At the request of the Italian government, three diving experts from Finland were brought to the Maldives to assist in the recovery. The remaining four bodies were recovered over a two-day period after the operation resumed. Officials have since issued a safety warning, noting that Alimatha Cave is extremely dangerous for amateur divers and requires specialized training and equipment.