Rome, 15 May (LaPresse) – Italy’s Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Damiano Francovigh, and the Honorary Consul in Malé, Giorgia Marazzi, are working with the Maldivian authorities on the operation to recover the bodies of the four divers who were killed in an accident whilst diving in the Vaavu Atoll. One of the bodies has been recovered by the coastguard. To reinforce the Foreign Ministry team in Malé – according to a statement – Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani has ordered further staff to be sent to the island, ready to assist their colleagues involved in the search for the bodies and in liaising with the families. The Maldivian authorities – the statement continues – have confirmed that on Thursday, as soon as they received news of the disappearance of the five Italian nationals, they immediately activated the search protocol, conducting aerial surveys and dispatching coastguard vessels. Another dive by coastguard divers (following yesterday’s operation), aimed at exploring the cave’s access points, took place this morning between 11.30am and 12.30pm local time. According to an initial assessment, the cave into which the five divers are believed to have entered is divided into three large chambers connected by narrow passages. Today’s dive managed to explore two of the three chambers. As today’s operation took place at great depths, it was not possible to exceed the maximum depth limits due to a lack of sufficient oxygen to carry out the decompression period.
Maldives: search for bodies to resume tomorrow; Tajani sends staff from the Foreign Ministry
Rome, 15 May (LaPresse) – Italy’s Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Damiano Francovigh, and the Honorary Consul in Malé, Giorgia Marazzi, are working with the Maldivian authorities on the operation to recover the bodies of the four divers who were killed in an accident whilst diving in the Vaavu Atoll. One of the bodies has been recovered by the coastguard. To reinforce the Foreign Ministry team in Malé – according to a statement – Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani has ordered further staff to be sent to the island, ready to assist their colleagues involved in the search for the bodies and in liaising with the families. The Maldivian authorities – the statement continues – have confirmed that on Thursday, as soon as they received news of the disappearance of the five Italian nationals, they immediately activated the search protocol, conducting aerial surveys and dispatching coastguard vessels. Another dive by coastguard divers (following yesterday’s operation), aimed at exploring the cave’s access points, took place this morning between 11.30am and 12.30pm local time. According to an initial assessment, the cave into which the five divers are believed to have entered is divided into three large chambers connected by narrow passages. Today’s dive managed to explore two of the three chambers. As today’s operation took place at great depths, it was not possible to exceed the maximum depth limits due to a lack of sufficient oxygen to carry out the decompression period.
