Finnish rescue divers have put forward a new theory explaining the deaths of five Italian scuba divers who perished while exploring deep-sea caves in the Maldives. The final two bodies from the group were recovered on Wednesday, a week after what is believed to be the deadliest diving accident in the country's history.
Details of the Incident
The divers were exploring a cave in Vaavu Atoll last Thursday when they vanished. The body of their diving instructor was later found outside the cave, and Finnish recovery divers brought two other bodies to the surface on Tuesday after locating them in a cave at a depth of 60 metres.
Professional divers working for Dan Europe, a medical research organisation, discovered the Italians in a dead-end corridor within the cave complex, according to La Repubblica.
Theory of Wrong Turn
Dan Europe CEO Laura Marroni told the outlet that she believes the divers may have accidentally taken a wrong turn while trying to exit the caves, leading them into a passage with no way out. The cave near Alimatha is accessible after a 50-metre dive, where a large bright cavern opens up. However, a 30-metre corridor connecting the cavern to a dark second chamber has very little light.
To exit the second chamber and return to the surface, divers must re-enter the corridor. However, conditions can be disorienting. Marroni noted that a rising sand bank at one end of the second chamber can resemble a wall, potentially directing divers toward a dead end instead of the exit.
The divers were using tanks holding approximately 12 litres, providing only about 10 minutes to visit the second cave. If they entered the wrong corridor, panic would have reduced their oxygen supply further, shortening their time even more.
“Realizing that the path is the wrong one and having little air, perhaps after going back and forth, is terrifying. Then you breathe quickly and the air supply decreases,” Marroni said.
The Victims
The Italian diving group was led by Monica Montefalcone, 51, a University of Genoa professor and marine ecologist who frequently dived in Maldivian waters. The group included her daughter Giorgia, biomedical engineering student Muriel Oddenino, research fellow Federico Gualtieri, and diving instructor Gianluca Benedetti.
Conditions and Investigation
Presidential spokesperson Shareef said on Wednesday that the cave had been explored before by local experts and foreign divers, but the conditions were known to be challenging, with difficult terrain, strong currents, and poor visibility.
Other experts have suggested alternative theories, including that the group might have been sucked into the cave and ran out of oxygen. Maldivian authorities are still investigating the incident.
