The five Italian divers who drowned in the Maldives were not wearing proper scuba equipment for the journey – and were just 15 minutes from the surface when they died.

A diver from Finland participating in a recovery operation for two bodies of Italian scuba divers near Vaavu Atoll.
Rescuer Sami Paakkarinen said the victims lacked crucial cave diving equipment like a reel or guide rope.via REUTERS
“Tragic human error” was a key factor in the May 14 horror, in which the group died 200 feet below the surface, Finnish diver Sami Paakkarinen told the Sun.

Four of the bodies were found together, Paakkarinen added.

Federico Gualtieri, one of five Italian victims of a diving accident in the Maldives.
Muriel Oddenino, 31, was an experienced diver.Muriel Oddenino / Facebook

Federico Gualtieri, one of five Italian victims of a diving accident in the Maldives.
Federico Gualtieri, 31, died in last Thursday’s tragedy.ZUMAPRESS.com

“Unfortunately, in most cave diving accidents, the main cause is always human error,” he said.

The victims did not have proper cave diving equipment, including a diving reel or guide rope, according to the rescuer.

Giorgia Sommacal, one of five Italian nationals who died while scuba diving in the Maldives, poses for a selfie.
Giorgia Sommacal, 20, died in last Thursday’s diving disaster in the Maldives.Giorgia Sommacal / Instagram

Monica Montefalcone on a boat, looking towards rocky formations.
Monica Montefalcone, 51, Giorgia’s mother, also died.Greenpeace via AP
“The equipment we found them with wasn’t optimal, they weren’t using underwater caving gear,” he noted.

In general, for those who visit caves, it’s known that it’s not very wise to do so without a safety line,” Paakarinen said.

The bodies of Monica Montefalcone, 52, a marine biologist from the University of Genoa; her daughter Giorgia Sommacal, 20; researcher Muriel Oddenino, 31; and recent graduate Federico Gualtieri, 31, were found Monday.

The group vanished May 14, during a deep-water dive inside a cave 164 feet underwater in Vaavu Atoll in what officials called the worst diving accident in the island nation’s history.

The body of diving instructor Gianluca Benedetti was found the day of the drowning, and was brought back to Italy Tuesday. The remains of the other victims were repatriated early Saturday.

SOURCE: https://nypost.com/2026/05/23/world-news/maldives-divers-were-just-minutes-away-from-reaching-surface-as-tragic-new-details-emerge/