First Maldives autopsy underway after mysterious sea cave disaster – as expert says WETSUITS may be behind tragedy

THE first autopsy for one of the tragic Maldives divers has begun – as one theory about wetsuits being behind the mysterious disaster emerges.

Five Italian tourists were killed while exploring a shark-infested cave before expert crews were brought in to recover their remains and underwater gear.

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Rescue personnel and divers take part in a recovery operation on WednesdayCredit: Reuters
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Monica Montefalcone was allegedly wearing a wetsuit for the deep dive, a source told local mediaCredit: UGC/UNPIXS
One body was found on Thursday when the disaster took place, while the other four were discovered and brought to the surface earlier this week.

Local authorities found GoPro cameras belonging to the divers – which will help them piece together their final moments.

Monica Montefalcone, a professor who died in the tragedy alongside her daughter Giorgia Sommacal, 22, was wearing a wetsuit at the time of the deadly dive, according to Italian outlet Corriere.

This is not the appropriate type of suit used for deep sea diving, a source told the newspaper.

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Search teams have recovered all five bodiesCredit: EPA

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Giorgia Sommacal died alongside her mumCredit: UGC/UNPIXS
The five holidaymakers, Montefalcone, Sommacal, Gianluca Benedetti, Federico Gualtieri, and Muriel Oddenino, were diving about 60 metres under the surface when they died, much deeper than local regulation.

Benedetti’s autopsy has now begun, according to authorities, following his repatriation to Italy.

Sommacal and Oddenino were recovered from inside the “shark cave” on Wednesday by three expert Finnish divers.

Both bodies of the divers were lifted onto a support boat one at a time after being carried up to the surface by recovery teams.

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University researcher Muriel Oddenino was among the final body to be brought back to landCredit: UGC/UNPIXS
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The expedition team may have been sucked into the complex cave where they ran out of breathing gas trying to escape, another new theory suggests.

A very strong current caused by the cave’s narrow pathway may have created a “Venturi effect” where the water speeds up to maintain a constant flow, causing a pressure drop and creating a vacuum.

Alfonso Bolognini, president of the Italian Society of Underwater and Hyperbaric Medicine, told Italian outlet Adnkronos: “Two things could have happened after the suction.

“Either everyone was sucked in, or one was sucked in and the others attempted a rescue.”

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Marine biologist Federico Gualtieri was found alongside Monica yesterdayCredit: UGC/UNPIXS
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Diving instructor and boat captain Gianluca Benedetti was the first body to have been recoveredCredit: UGC/UNPIXS
On Tuesday, the bodies of Montefalcone and university researcher Gualtieri were recovered.

Boat captain and seasoned diving instructor Benedetti was the first body found last week by rescue teams.

Each attempt to dive and retrieve the bodies lasted around three hours.

Sami Paakkarinen, Jenni Westerlund, and Patrik Grönqvist had worked on some of the world’s most difficult underwater recovery missions.

Search efforts were hampered by bad weather over the weekend meaning the divers couldn’t risk looking for the missing team.

One of the only attempts on Saturday saw a member of the Maldivian military rescue diver Mohamed Mahudhee die from decompression illness.

He bravely went down to search for the victims but as he rose back to the surface he became gravely ill and later passed away.

The total death toll of the initial tragic dive and the subsequent recovery operation now stands at six.

All of the victims were highly experienced with officials still trying to piece together their deadly dive.

Monica’s husband and Giorgia’s father, Carlo Sommacal hailed his wife as being “among the best divers on the face of the earth“.

He told Repubblica Monica “would never have put our daughter’s life at risk”.

He said: “If there really was a yellow alert, they would have dived first and something must have happened down there.

“Maybe one of them ran into trouble, maybe the gas tanks, I have no idea. But I’m ready to swear anything about Monica’s behavior.”

Rome Prosecutor’s Office has launched a manslaughter probe into the divers’ deaths.

SOURE: https://www.the-sun.com/news/16388227/autopsy-maldives-sea-cave-tragedy-wetsuits-blame/