Authorities confirmed Tuesday that the remains of an Italian tourist who passed away while diving in a sea cave at Vaavu Atoll have been dispatched to Italy.

The MNDF reported that the bodies were found within Vaavu Alimatha Cave, where the group had gone scuba diving. Out of the four missing divers, two have been retrieved, while two are still in the cave.

Recovery operations restarted on Monday after a group of foreign expert divers reached the Maldives following the passing of Sergeant First Class Mohamed Mahudhy, who lost his life during the operation on Saturday.

Government representative Mohamed Hussain Shareef (Mundhu) stated that three expert divers from Finland, sent at the request of the Italian government, are currently in charge of the operation. MNDF and police divers, together with two private diving firms, are supporting the team.

Five Italian tourists were reported missing on Thursday. The report was received by the police and MNDF at 13:45. A diver was discovered the same day at 18:13, at a depth of approximately 60 metres within the cave. The other four were thought to be further within the approximately 200-foot-long cave system.

Recovery efforts took place on Friday and Saturday but were halted following Sgt. Mahudhy’s passing.

The event has captured global interest, prompting Italian officials to monitor the situation closely.