DAN-Led Mission Locates Missing Divers in Maldives Cave Operation
DAN Europe confirms that the international search & recovery team deployed to the Maldives has successfully completed the first operational objective of the mission following today’s initial technical cave dive at the Dhekunu Kandu site, in Vaavu Atoll.
The dive began this morning at approximately 08:30 CET and lasted around three hours. During this first operational intervention, the specialist team successfully explored the underwater cave system, assessed environmental and operational conditions, located all four victims still missing, and gathered the critical information required to plan the next phases of the recovery operation.
This marks an important milestone in an operation that remains technically demanding, emotionally challenging, and operationally complex.
The three specialists are technical and cave divers with extensive international experience in high-complexity search & recovery missions, including operations in deep overhead environments, confined spaces, and high-risk scenarios.
To complete today’s mission, the team operated using advanced technical systems, including closed-circuit rebreathers, high-performance DPVs (Diver Propulsion Vehicles), and fully redundant life-support configurations. These technologies enabled the divers to safely conduct an extended penetration dive in a deep cave environment while maintaining exceptionally high operational safety margins.
A rebreather is a closed-circuit diving system that recycles exhaled breathing gas, removes carbon dioxide through a chemical scrubber, and automatically replaces metabolised oxygen. This allows for significantly longer dives, minimal bubble production, reduced gas consumption, and precise control of breathing gas composition, capabilities essential in complex cave recovery operations.
The coming days will be dedicated to the highly delicate recovery procedures. Additional information regarding operational planning and recovery timelines will be communicated in the coming hours as coordination continues with the Maldives National Defence Force and the relevant Italian authorities in Malé.
“Today’s result is the outcome of extraordinary preparation, technical excellence, and exceptional teamwork. We are deeply grateful to the specialists on site, who are operating with professionalism, discipline, and humanity in demanding environments.”
— Laura Marroni, CEO, DAN Europe
Our thoughts remain with the families and loved ones of the victims during this difficult time.
About DAN Europe
DAN Europe (Divers Alert Network Europe) is an international nonprofit medical and scientific organization founded in 1983, dedicated to research, prevention, and safety management in complex and high-risk environments.
Core elements of the organization include:
- Mission: improving diver safety worldwide through research, medicine, and assistance
- Structure: a 24/7 global emergency operations center managed by emergency medicine specialists and recognized in Italy as a second-level emergency alert center; assistance is provided in over 30 languages
- Membership: over 400,000 members worldwide
- Network: an international network of more than 180 medical specialists
- Activity: thousands of emergencies handled each year
The organization is one of the regional foundations within IDAN (International Divers Alert Network) and reinvests all generated resources into research and the development of tools and services benefiting the wider community.
