Foreign Minister Iruthisham Adam has met with the Italian Ambassador to the Maldives, Damiano Francovigh, following the tragic diving incident in Vaavu Atoll that left one tourist dead, four others missing, and claimed the life of an MNDF diver involved in rescue efforts.
In a statement shared on social media, Iruthisham said the meeting focused on expressing condolences over the incident and discussing the ongoing search operation for the missing Italian nationals.
The diving incident occurred on May 14 near Alimathaa Resort, prompting a large-scale rescue operation coordinated by the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF).
During the operation, Staff Sergeant Mohamed Mahdhee became critically ill after participating in a high-risk deep diving mission. He later passed away while receiving treatment for decompression sickness.
Iruthisham said both sides shared “profound sadness” over Mahdhee’s death and acknowledged his sacrifice during the rescue efforts.
According to the Foreign Minister, Ambassador Francovigh conveyed Italy’s condolences to the government and people of the Maldives while also expressing sincere appreciation for the efforts carried out by the MNDF and Maldivian authorities in the ongoing search mission.
The discussions also emphasized the importance of close cooperation between Maldivian and Italian authorities as search operations continue.
The tragedy has drawn widespread sympathy both locally and internationally, with tributes continuing to pour in for the late MNDF diver and concern remaining high over the fate of the missing tourists.
