Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) has revealed that the missing diver was found deceased in a cave located 60m underwater. MNDF said that the other four missing divers are also believed to be inside this cave. 

Five Italian tourists who were guests on a foreigner-operated liveaboard vessel, Duke of York, went missing while diving near Alimathaa in Vaavu atoll. They entered the water in the morning, and the crew reported them missing when they had not resurfaced even by noon.

Police said that they received reports of the divers going missing at approximately 1:45pm today. Police initially announced that all five divers were found deceased, but later retracted the statement. 

Police said their earlier report that all missing persons had been found was issued in error by the search term. Only one individual has been located so far, and the search for the four others is ongoing, they said.  

According to a statement on the MNDF website, the body of the first diver was found at around 6:13pm today by safari divers involved in the search operation. The body of the deceased has been taken to the the Vaavu atoll Fulidhoo Health Centre. 

"The body was found approximately 60m (197 feet) under the sea, inside a cave. The remaining four missing divers are believed to be inside the cave, which stretches approximately 200 feet," the MNDF stated. 

MNDF said that as this is a high-risk operation, special equipment needed by divers and the Coast Guard have now been sent to the incident site. 

The MNDF Coast Guard ship 'Ghaazee' will be active at the scene until the operation is concluded, they stated. 

AFP News Agency, meanwhile, has cited the Foreign Ministry of Italy and reported that all five missing divers are deceased. 

"Following an accident that occurred during a scuba diving trip, five Italian nationals have died in the Vaavu Atoll, in the Maldives," AFP quoted the Foreign Ministry as saying. 

"The divers are believed to have died whilst attempting to explore some caves at a depth of 50 metres."  

In Maldives, recreation diving is permitted to a depth of 30m (98 feet).