Bodies of four missing Italian divers found inside 'shark cave' in Maldives days after they vanished

Rescuers located the bodies of 4 Italian divers heavy wrong an underwater cave successful the Maldives, days aft the radical vanished during a unsafe dive acold beyond recreational limits, Italy’s Foreign Ministry said Monday.

Officials said Finnish cave-diving specialists recovered the bodies successful the innermost conception of the cave strategy successful Vaavu Atoll, wherever the divers disappeared Thursday portion exploring astatine a extent of astir 160 feet. The recreational diving bounds successful the Maldives is 98 feet.

"As was antecedently thought, the 4 bodies were recovered wrong the cave, not lone wrong the cave but good wrong the cave into the 3rd conception of the cave, which is the largest part," Maldives authorities spokesperson Ahmed Shaam said, adding the victims were recovered "pretty overmuch together."

The Thinwana Kandu cave strategy wherever the bodies were recovered is known locally arsenic "shark cave."

RESCUE OPERATION FREES INJURED MAN TRAPPED 130 FEET UNDERGROUND IN ITALIAN CAVE

Monica Montefalcone, 1 of 5 Italian scuba divers who died adjacent Alimathaa successful the Maldives archipelago portion exploring an underwater cave, is shown successful this undated photograph released by Greenpeace Italia connected May 15, 2026. (Greenpeace Italia/AP)

Recovery crews program to retrieve 2 bodies Tuesday and the remaining 2 the pursuing day, officials said.

The find came aft authorities resumed the hunt pursuing the decease of a Maldivian subject diver progressive successful the rescue mission. Mohamed Mahdi died Saturday from decompression sickness aft attempting to scope the trapped divers.

Mohamed Mahdi, a subordinate of the Maldivian National Defense Force, died from decompression sickness during the unsafe mission, officials said. (Maldives National Defense Force)

A 5th Italian diver, identified earlier arsenic a diving instructor, was antecedently recovered dormant extracurricular the cave.

BAGPIPER DIES DOING POPULAR VACATION ATTRACTION DAYS BEFORE MISSING SON’S REMAINS FOUND IN BACKYARD TREEHOUSE

The specialized Finnish squad utilized precocious closed-circuit rebreather systems, allowing for longer and deeper dives successful the cave’s confined environment.

Divers hole to hunt for 4 missing Italian divers adjacent Alimathaa Island, Vaavu Atoll, Maldives, connected May 15, 2026. (Maldives President's Media Division/AP)

Rough seas and hazardous underwater conditions repeatedly delayed hunt efforts arsenic crews mapped and marked the cave entranceway earlier pushing deeper inside.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Authorities proceed to analyse the concern and what led to the divers' deaths.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.