Finnish Expert Dive Team Arrives in Maldives to Assist Search for Missing Divers

A team of three highly experienced divers from Finland arrived in the Maldives this morning to assist in the ongoing operation to locate four missing Italian divers who disappeared while exploring an underwater cave in Vaavu Atoll.

Speaking to the media, the President’s Office Spokesperson Mohamed Hussain Shareef said the Finnish team specializes in cave diving operations and arrived equipped with the necessary technical gear required for the mission.

The search operation was temporarily halted following the death of MNDF Coast Guard diver Staff Sergeant Mohamed Mahudhee, who passed away yesterday while participating in the rescue efforts. Shareef said the Finnish divers are currently consulting with Coast Guard personnel, and a decision on when to resume the operation will be made after joint assessments are completed.

The operation is being coordinated by an Italian company named “Dan.” Technical assistance has also been offered by the governments of the United Kingdom, United States, and Australia. According to the President’s Office, technical support from Australia and the UK will also be provided during the mission.

The four Italian divers and their instructor went missing last Friday while exploring an underwater cave at the “Miyaru Dive” site in Vaavu Atoll. While the instructor’s body was later recovered from a depth of around 60 meters, the remaining four divers are still missing.

MNDF believes the divers may be trapped inside the cave system, which is estimated to be around 200 feet deep.

Following the incident, the Ministry of Tourism suspended the operating license of the safari vessel “MV Duke of York,” which had transported the divers. The safari is operated by Island Cruise Pvt Ltd.