Eerie video captures final image of military diver killed in Maldives recovery mission
Sgt. Major Mohamed Mahudhee, a Maldivian Coast Guard diver, died from decompression sickness during a mission to recover the bodies of five Italian tourists who perished in an underwater cave dive. The incident occurred after Mahudhee entered the cave's third chamber, where conditions were extremely hazardous. His death highlights the dangers faced by rescue personnel in complex underwater operations.
- ▪Sgt. Major Mohamed Mahudhee died from underwater decompression sickness after a deep dive in a recovery mission.
- ▪Five Italian scuba divers died after descending 160 feet into an underwater cave, exceeding the recreational diving limit in the Maldives.
- ▪Only the body of Gianluca Benedetti has been recovered; the remains of Monica Montefalcone, Giorgia Sommacal, Muriel Oddenino, and Federico Gualtieri are still missing.
- ▪Maldivian President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu observed the rescue operation, which was conducted by an eight-person task force.
- ▪The Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani is coordinating with the Divers Alert Network to support the recovery efforts.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
World News Eerie video captures final image of military diver killed in Maldives recovery mission By Katherine Donlevy Published May 16, 2026, 1:50 p.m. ET An eerie video captures the final hours of the Maldivian Coast Guard diver who died Saturday during a dangerous mission to recover the bodies of the Italian tourists trapped in a deep underwater cave. Sgt. Major Mohamed Mahudhee was filmed on Friday standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the nation’s President, Dr. Mohamed Muizzu, as the elite crew of rescuers pored over the day’s plan to find the victims’ remains. Mahudhee was on board the boat that towed Muizzu to the site of the tragedy so he could observe the eight-person task force clear the cave’s second chamber, before bad weather forced the crew to pack up early. 3 Sgt.
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