THEY DIDN’T HAVE PROPER EQUIPMENT! THEY DROWNED DUE TO “HUMAN ERROR”

New details are emerging in the deaths of five Italian divers who tragically drowned during a deep-sea dive in the Maldives earlier this month.

According to Finnish cave diver and rescuer Sami Paakkarinen, the group was not equipped with proper cave diving gear when they became trapped approximately 200 feet underwater on May 14. The divers reportedly died just 15 minutes from reaching the surface.

Paakkarinen described the incident as a “tragic human error,” explaining that the victims were missing critical safety equipment commonly used during cave dives, including a diving reel and guide rope.

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

He added that the divers were not using specialized underwater caving gear designed for navigating enclosed or low-visibility underwater environments.

“The equipment we found them with wasn’t optimal. They weren’t using underwater caving gear,” Paakkarinen said.

He also stressed the importance of safety lines during cave dives, noting that entering underwater caves without one is considered extremely dangerous.

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

BACKSTORY:
Five Italian divers died during a catastrophic cave diving expedition in the Maldives on May 14, in what officials have described as the deadliest diving accident in the country’s history. A sixth person — a Maldivian military rescuer — later died during recovery efforts.

The group disappeared while exploring a deep underwater cave system near Vaavu Atoll, reportedly descending to around 50 to 60 meters (164 to 200 feet) below the surface — far beyond the Maldives’ recreational diving limit of 30 meters (98 feet).

According to Italy’s foreign ministry, the bodies of Monica Montefalcone, 52, her 20-year-old daughter Giorgia Sommacal, along with Muriel Oddenino, 31, and Federico Gualtieri, 31, were located inside Thinwana Kandu cave after an intensive international recovery effort. The body of scuba instructor Gianluca Benedetti, had been recovered a few days before.

Authorities said Benedetti’s body was initially found near the cave entrance, while the other four divers were later discovered deeper inside the cave system by a Finnish recovery team.

The specialized recovery trio — made up of expert divers Sami Paakkarinen, Jenni Westerlund, and Patrik Grönqvist — arrived in the Maldives after local authorities reportedly lacked the equipment necessary to safely access the cave system, which reaches depths of approximately 500 feet.

The rescue divers had previously participated in the dramatic 2018 rescue of a trapped youth soccer team in Thailand.

The Italian divers disappeared last Thursday during an expedition near Vaavu Atoll while aboard the Duke of York yacht. Authorities said the group had permission to conduct coral reef research as part of a mission involving individuals connected to the University of Genoa. However, officials stated their approved proposal reportedly did not include plans to enter the underwater cave system.

Authorities noted severe weather warnings had been issued at the time, with rough seas and poor visibility potentially creating extremely dangerous underwater conditions. It is unclear why they decided to go inside the cave.

Experts say cave diving is one of the most dangerous forms of diving because divers cannot simply swim straight to the surface during an emergency. In dark underwater caves, visibility can disappear instantly if silt is disturbed, leaving divers disoriented with “no way out.”

Investigators are now examining:
• Whether the group exceeded permitted diving depths
• Whether the dive had proper authorization
• Why officials were allegedly not informed the expedition involved cave diving
• Whether inadequate training or equipment contributed to the deaths

Italian prosecutors have reportedly opened a parallel investigation into possible manslaughter or safety violations connected to the expedition.