The search and rescue operation to find the missing Italian divers after they had gone diving into an underwater cave at Vaavu Atoll has resumed after it was suspended two days ago.
Chief Spokesperson of President's Office Mohamed Hussain Shareef (Mundhu) said a team of three experienced Finnish divers arrived and coordinated plans with the Maldives Coast Guard yesterday, with the operation resuming today.
Shareef said that even though the operation has resumed, today's dive will not see them go deep underwater.
"They will be using an ROV (underwater remote controlled vehicle) in today's dive. But they are unable to dive deep underwater due to the currents," stated Shareef.
"There will not be any deep dives today. The site will be surveyed, with familiarization procedures to take place at the site with the foreign team."
Shareef went on to say that the foreign dive team, Maldives' rescue mission team and a dive team from the Maldives Police Service are currently active in the operation. Along with that, he also said that there are experienced volunteers from two teams who are currently providing the required technical support in surveying the ocean on site.
He stated that Maldivian divers will not be diving too deep and that only the required "recreational scuba dives" will only take place.
According to Shareef, Maldivian divers will not dive too deep and will be involved only in "recreational scuba dives".
Shareef said that "deep dives" in the operation will be done by the foreign dive team.
The operation was suspended due to Staff Sergeant First Class Mohamed Mahudhy, one of the most experienced divers of the MNDF's Coast Guard, having passed away on Saturday while he was active in the operation. He was buried with military honors in Male'.
Italian company DAN has been tasked with finding the missing divers. The three Finnish divers who have come to Maldives with technical equipment are experienced in cave diving.
The British, Australian and United States governments had offered assistance, with technical support expected from the United Kingdom and Australia.
The incident occurred near V. Alimathaa, where five divers; four Italian tourists and the safari’s diving instructor, also an Italian, went missing while they were exploring a cave at Miyaru Kandu dive site on Thursday afternoon.
The body of the instructor was recovered the same day from inside the cave at a depth of about 60 metres (197 feet). Authorities believe the remaining four divers may also be inside the cave, which is estimated to stretch around 200 feet.
The legal maximum diving depth permitted in the Maldives is 30 metres.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Tourism has suspended the operating licence of the safari vessel MV Duke of York. According to ministry records, the 12-room vessel is owned by Abdul Muhusin Moosa and operated by Island Cruises Pvt Ltd, a company owned by Muhusin and Ibrahim Rasheed.
