Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) has completed the first search dive to look for four Italian divers still missing, Chief Government Spokesperson Mohamed Hussain Shareef (Mundhu) has stated. 

The search team has not found any sign of the missing divers in this first search dive, according to authorities. 

The first search dive involved affixing balloons at the underwater cave entrance, and searching a limited distance inside the cave, Mundhu told Mihaaru News. 

"This was only the first search. The divers have surfaced after concluding this first search. They are now preparing for the second dive," Mundhu said. 

The cave entrance has a depth of 45m, according to the spokesperson. He noted that weather conditions are poor as the search operation continues, and that MNDF has reported strong currents in the area. 

Mundhu said that of the five divers who have gone missing, the search term has so far only found the body of one, discovered early yesterday evening. 

MNDF Coast Guard ship 'Ghaazee' has been deployed and is active at the site of the incident. 

Mundhu revealed that Ambassador of Italy to Maldives is also currently on the ship. The Ambassador, who is based in Sri Lanka, travelled in Maldives to monitor the search operation after the five Italian tourists were reported missing. 

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 yesterday 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 yesterday. 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.    

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, recreational diving is permitted to a depth of 30m (98 feet).   

According to a statement on the MNDF website, the body of the first diver was found at around 6:13pm yesterday 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 was sent to the incident site yesterday.