The Maldives continue to watch in shock the tragedy involving five Italian divers who lost their lives inside an underwater cave, as new evidence coming to light reveals the nightmarish way they appear to have been trapped with no possibility of escape. The team of experienced Finnish divers from DAN Europe, who participated in the body recovery operation, now estimates that the divers were likely misled by an optical illusion created by the cave’s morphology and were led into the wrong corridor, believing they were following the exit. The result was their entrapment in a dead end at approximately 50 meters depth, with minimal air in their tanks and no time to return. Descriptions from professional divers who participated in the operation speak of an extremely dangerous system of underwater chambers, where even very experienced divers can easily lose their orientation.
The optical illusion that trapped the divers in the Maldives
According to information published by La Repubblica, the body of instructor Gianluca Benedetti was found near the mouth of the Thinwana Kandu cave on the day of disappearance, while the remaining four bodies were found in the third and final chamber of the cave, at approximately 50 meters depth. The mission included marine biology professor Monica Montefalcone, her daughter Giorgia Somacal, researchers Federico Gualtieri and Muriel Odenino, as well as their Maldives-based instructor, Gianluca Benedetti.
DAN Europe Managing Director Laura Maroni explained that the cave begins with a large bright chamber with a sandy bottom. At the end of this space there is a narrow corridor of about 30 meters leading to a second circular chamber without natural light. Between the corridor and the second chamber there is a sand dune. Access to the second chamber is easy on entry, but on return the sand dune creates the illusion of a wall, hiding the correct exit route. Next to it there is a second narrow corridor leading to a dead end. “The divers’ bodies were all found inside it, as if they had confused it with the correct one,” Maroni characteristically noted.
She noted that if the divers entered this passage by mistake, then returning would be extremely difficult, particularly due to the limited amount of air. The divers were using regular tanks and, at this depth, available time was minimal. “We’re talking about 10 minutes, maybe even less,” Maroni stated, describing a real nightmare inside the dark cave. “Realizing that the route is wrong and having little air is terrifying. Then you breathe quickly and the air supply decreases.”
Other scenarios and questions about the dive in the Maldives
Maldivian authorities continue to investigate how the Italian divers were allowed to dive to a depth of nearly 60 meters, when the maximum permitted depth for tourist diving in the country is 30 meters. At the same time, other possible scenarios are being examined, such as the possibility they lost their orientation due to bad weather or low visibility.
Among the theories is also the possibility they were swept into the cave by a strong current connected to the so-called “Venturi phenomenon.” According to the president of the Italian Society of Underwater and Hyperbaric Medicine, Alfonso Bolonini, when water passes through a narrow point it creates intense acceleration and suction, something that could have pulled the divers deeper into the crevice.
Simultaneously, the equipment used by the team also raises concerns. The divers had 12-liter oxygen tanks, while Montefalcone was wearing a short diving suit, elements that several experts consider inappropriate for such great depth. The Finnish divers also recovered GoPro cameras from the site, with authorities hoping the footage will help fully reconstruct the final minutes before the tragedy. Indicative of the operation’s danger is that a rescuer from the Maldives also lost his life from decompression sickness during the searches, a fact that highlighted the extreme conditions under which the recovery operation was carried out.
