The bodies of four Italian divers who died while exploring an underwater cave in Vaavu Atoll last week are due to be repatriated tonight.

Chief Spokesperson at the President's Office, Mohamed Hussain Shareef (Mundhu) told Mihaaru News that the bodies would be sent to Italy for post-mortem, with the findings to be shared with Maldivian investigators.

Five Italian divers went missing while diving at Alimathaa Cave in Vaavu Atoll on Thursday last week. The body of one diver was recovered the same day and has since been repatriated.

Mohamed Mahudhy, an experienced diver with the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) Coast Guard, died on Saturday during efforts to recover the remaining four bodies. Following his death, the MNDF suspended its operation.

The recovery mission later resumed with the assistance of a team of Finnish specialist divers.

Two of the missing divers were recovered on Tuesday, while the remaining two bodies were brought out of the cave on Wednesday and kept at the morgue pending repatriation.

The victims were identified as Federico Gualtieri of Borgomanero, Professor Monica Montefalcone and her daughter Georgia Somacal of the University of Genoa, Muriel Odenino of Turin, and Gianluca Benedetti of Padua.

The body of the diving instructor was found at a depth of about 60 metres (197 feet) inside the cave.

In the aftermath of the incident, the Ministry of Tourism suspended the operating licence of the safari vessel MV Duke of York in connection with what has become one of the deadliest diving accidents in recent Maldivian history.