Five Italian divers have died during an underwater cave expedition in the Maldives, authorities said.

They were exploring the caves at about 50-60m depth in Vaavu Atoll, which is about 64km (40 miles) from the capital Malé.

They went diving on Thursday morning and were reported missing when they failed to resurface. A distress alert was raised around early afternoon on the same day.

According to authorities, the group was part of a larger diving excursion when they attempted to enter cave structures known for strong currents and complex underwater tunnels.

“The distress call arrived at 1.45pm at the Maldivian Coast Guard’s maritime coordination center,” the Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF) said in a statement.

Rescue teams rushed to the scuba hotspot, near the island of Alimatha, and later recovered one body inside a submerged cave, while the remaining four are believed to still be inside the same cave system.

“A body was found at 6.13pm among the five divers who had dived in Vaavu Atoll,” MNDF said. “The body was found inside a cave, and the other four divers are believed to be in the same cave, which extends to a depth of approximately 60m.”

Maldivian coast guard and military units launched a “high-risk” search and recovery operation using specialist divers, boats and aerial support. However, rough weather conditions in the area, including strong winds and an official yellow alert, made operations more difficult.

The victims were later identified as Monica Montefalcone, a marine biology professor at the University of Genoa; her daughter, Giorgia Sommacal; researcher Muriel Oddenino; marine scientist Federico Gualtieri and dive operator Gianluca Benedetti.

In a statement posted on X, the University of Genoa expressed “deep condolences” to the victims’ families.

According to Milan-based major daily Corriere della Sera, authorities are still investigating the exact circumstances, but early reports suggest the group may have become trapped or disoriented inside the cave system during the dive in challenging conditions.

“A tragedy, I can’t say more,” consul Giorgia Marazzi reportedly said, according to the outlet.

The Italian foreign ministry said: “The divers died after attempting to explore some caves at a depth of 50m. The Maldivian authorities are still reconstructing the incident.”

According to La Repubblica, a Rome-based daily, exploring those caves in Vaavu Atoll requires a special certification, but the divers were all experts.

This incident is being described as one of the most serious diving accidents ever recorded in the Maldives, which is famous for diving tourism.

Local police have opened an investigation into the circumstances of the underwater disaster, but the cause of death has not yet been disclosed.