The recovery operation in the Maldives has concluded with the retrieval of the last two bodies from the flooded cave system that claimed the lives of six Italian speleologists. British search and rescue teams, working alongside Maldivian authorities, completed the extraction on Thursday evening. The victims, part of a larger expedition exploring an uncharted underwater cavern on the island of Fuvahmulah, were trapped by a sudden collapse of the cave ceiling on 12 March.
The operation was complicated by unstable geology and limited visibility. British divers from the Royal Navy's specialist diving unit were deployed at the request of the Italian government. They paid tribute to their Italian counterparts in a sombre ceremony on the beach, placing a wreath on the shoreline.
The bodies have been transported to Malé for formal identification and repatriation. Italian officials have expressed gratitude for the international cooperation. The accident has raised questions about the regulation of deep-cave exploration in the Maldives, which has become a popular destination for extreme diving.
The British team is expected to return to the UK later this week.
