Maldives diving tragedy: Autopsies confirm five Italians died of anoxia

Autopsy results have confirmed that five Italian divers died from anoxia, or a total lack of oxygen, during a diving expedition in a submerged cave in the Vaavu Atoll, Maldives, on May 14. The victims have been identified as Monica Montefalcone, Giorgia Sommacal, Muriel Oddenino, Federico Gualtieri, and diving guide Gianluca Benedetti.

Medical examiners conducted the autopsies in Gallarate, Italy, under the direction of the Busto Arsizio and Rome prosecutors. The findings definitively rule out alternative theories, such as shark attacks or toxic gas contamination in the tanks. Toxicological analyses also showed no anomalies that would suggest a loss of consciousness due to external substances.

The investigation is now focusing on why the group remained underwater at a depth of approximately 60 meters beyond the capacity of their equipment. Investigators are working to determine if the divers lost their orientation within the cave. To reconstruct the exact sequence of events, authorities will cross-reference the autopsy findings with technical data from recovered equipment, including GoPro cameras, dive computers, and oxygen tanks.