Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu on Friday (May 15) travelled to Vaavu Atoll to observe search operations after a scuba diving accident killed five Italian nationals.

Muizzu was briefed by the coast guard on the underwater terrain of the search area before heading out to sea with Maldives Coast Guard Commandant Mohamed Saleem and other officials on a speedboat to monitor the search.

The incident occurred in the Vaavu Atoll, where the group had been attempting to explore a series of underwater caves at a depth of around 50 metres (165 ft), Italy’s foreign ministry said in a statement on Thursday (May 14).

Local media reported that the five Italians entered the water on Thursday morning, and the crew of the dive boat they were travelling on reported them missing when they failed to resurface.

Four of the divers were part of a University of Genoa team, which included professor of ecology Monica Montefalcone, her daughter and two researchers. The fifth victim has been identified as an Italian diving instructor.

One body had been found in a cave about 60m underwater and the other four divers were also believed to be there, the Maldives military said.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

VAAVU ATOLL, MALDIVES (MAY 15, 2026) (MALDIVES PRESIDENT MEDIA DIVISION - Access all) (MUTE)

1. SPEEDBOAT TRAVELLING ON WATER

2. MALDIVIAN PRESIDENT MOHAMED MUIZZU SPEAKING WITH COAST GUARD DIVER

3. COAST GUARD DIVER TALKING TO MUIZZU AND OTHER OFFICIALS / WHITE BOARD SHOWING UNDERWATER TERRAIN OF SEARCH AREA

4. COAST GUARD DIVER TALKING TO MUIZZU AND OTHER OFFICIALS

5. WHITE BOARD SHOWING UNDERWATER TERRAIN OF SEARCH AREA

6. COAST GUARD AND OFFICIAL LOOKING AT MOBILE PHONE

7. POINT OF VIEW OF BOAT DRIVER

8. COAST GUARD COMMANDANT MOHAMED SALEEM TALKING TO MUIZZU SEATED INSIDE BOAT

9. SALEEM TALKING TO OFFICIAL

10. MUIZZU WALKING ON DOCK