A search operation for four missing Italian divers in the Maldives was suspended Saturday after a Maldivian military diver died during the recovery mission, according to government officials, as reported by Fox News.

Mohamed Mahdi, a member of the Maldivian National Defense Force, died from decompression sickness while participating in the dangerous underwater search near Vaavu Atoll, Maldives presidential spokesman Mohamed Hussain Shareef said.

The operation had been underway after a group of five Italian divers disappeared Thursday during what investigators described as an unauthorized deep dive that exceeded the Maldives’ recreational diving limits.

The divers included marine researchers and experienced scuba divers identified by the Maldivian government as Monica Montefalcone, her daughter Giorgia Sommacal, marine biologist Federico Gualtieri, researcher Muriel Oddenino, and diving instructor Gianluca Benedetti.

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Authorities said Benedetti was found dead near the entrance of the cave system shortly after the group vanished.

Officials now believe the bodies of the remaining four divers are trapped deep inside a cave network approximately 160 feet underwater near Vaavu Atoll.

The cause of the deaths remains under investigation.

Carlo Sommacal, Montefalcone’s husband and Giorgia’s father, questioned whether the incident was simply an accident, citing the experience level of both divers.

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Speaking to Italian television, Sommacal said that "something must have happened down there" because of his wife and daughter’s extensive diving backgrounds.

He also described Montefalcone as a cautious and disciplined diver who would never intentionally place her daughter or fellow researchers in danger.

Search crews reported that severe underwater conditions, limited oxygen supplies, and the complexity of the cave network made the recovery mission especially hazardous.

"The death goes to show the difficulty of the mission," a government spokesman said following Mahdi’s death.

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The Italian Foreign Ministry said the underwater cave system contains three large chambers connected through narrow passageways.

Rescue crews managed to explore two chambers on Friday before halting operations because of decompression dangers.

Officials are now waiting for three Finnish cave-diving specialists to arrive in the Maldives to reassess whether the search can safely continue.

Questions have also emerged regarding the dive itself. Albatros Top Boat, the Italian tour operator overseeing the trip, denied authorizing the cave descent.

According to comments made by the company’s attorney to Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, the divers appeared to be using standard recreational diving equipment instead of specialized technical gear typically required for deep cave exploration.

As the investigation continues, the Maldives Tourism Ministry suspended the operating license of the expedition vessel tied to the trip.

Cave diving is considered one of the most dangerous forms of underwater exploration because of extreme depths, limited visibility, tight passageways, and restricted escape routes during emergencies.

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