Minister, CP commend officers who braved deadly Alimatha dive

Homeland Security Minister Ali Ihusaan and Commissioner of Police Ahmed Mohamed have commended the police dive team for their courage during the operation to locate four tourists who went missing inside a sea cave near V. Alimatha.

Five tourists and MNDF diver Sergeant First Class Mohamed Mahudhy were killed in the incident, which occurred on the 14th of this month.

The bodies of the tourists have since been repatriated to Italy, where authorities have opened a criminal investigation into the deaths.

The initial search was conducted jointly by the police and MNDF. However, after the first dive, during which Mahudhy died, the operation was suspended. It later resumed and was completed with the assistance of three experienced Finnish divers.

Minister Ihusaan and the CP met the police officers involved in the operation on Sunday.

އިޓަލީގެ ޑައިވަރުން ހޯދުމަށް ކުރިއަށް ގެންދިޔަ ސާޗް އޮޕަރޭޝަންގައި ހަރަކާތްތެރިވި ފުލުހުންނާ ބައްދަލުކުރައްވައިފިhttps://t.co/VnX0jKodiW

— Maldives Police (@PoliceMv) May 25, 2026

During the meeting held at the CP’s office, the minister and the commissioner praised the officers for their hard work and bravery, and urged them to continue serving the public and fulfilling their legal responsibilities.

The victims have been identified as Monica Montefalcone, a professor at the University of Genoa, and her daughter Giorgia Somacal, along with researcher Muriel Odenino, research assistant Federico Gualtieri, and instructor Gianluca Benedetti.

According to the rescue team, the group is believed to have entered the cave on their own and become trapped after mistakenly following a closed passage.

Laura Maroney, CEO of DAN Europe, said a sand dune inside the cave had reduced visibility, causing the divers to enter a blocked route thinking it was the exit. The bodies of four divers were found together, suggesting they all lost their way. Benedetti’s body, however, was recovered from the first section of the cave.

Italian media report that autopsies have been scheduled, and the Genoa Flying Squad has seized the mobile phones and other electronic devices belonging to the deceased divers.