Rome, May 15, (dpa/GNA) – Five Italians have died in a diving accident in the Maldives, the Italian Foreign Ministry said on Thursday. The divers had set out to explore caves at a depth of around 50 metres in Vaavu Atoll, the ministry said. There were initially no details on how the accident happened.
Authorities in the Maldives have opened an investigation, according to Rome. The ministry said it was working with the Italian embassy in Sri Lanka to support the victims’ families.
The Maldives is an island nation in the Indian Ocean south-west of Sri Lanka. Its white sandy beaches attract many holidaymakers, while its coral reefs are also popular with snorkellers and divers.
Italian media reported that four of those killed were staff members or students at the University of Genoa. The university said it was mourning an ecology professor, her daughter, who studied there, a lecturer and a student who had recently completed a degree in biology and marine biology.
Italian Science Minister Anna Maria Bernini said on X that the tragedy had “deeply shaken Italy’s academic community.” Italian authorities initially provided no further details about the identity of the fifth victim.
GNA