DAN Europe completes underwater operations in the Maldives

DAN Europe confirms the conclusion of the underwater operational phase of the international search & recovery mission conducted at the Dhekunu Kandu dive site, Vaavu Atoll, Maldives.

Today’s dive marked the final in-water intervention carried out by the Finnish specialist rescue team coordinated by DAN Europe, together with the surface support teams and in close cooperation with the Maldives National Defence Force, the Maldivian Coast Guard and Police diving units, and the Italian authorities in Malé.

Weather and sea conditions were more demanding than in previous days, with strong wind, surface current, and a slight increase in decompression complexity. The dive started approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes later than originally planned, with approximately 50 minutes of work inside the cave, in a dive of about 3 hours.

The objectives of today’s dive included the so-called scene clean-up: the removal of temporary guide lines, operational references, and equipment placed inside the cave system during the recovery phase, as well as the verification and recovery of additional items remaining on site that may be relevant to the ongoing investigation. This procedure follows recognised best practices, which require divers to restore the environment and remove traces of operational activity wherever possible. All recovered material, including equipment belonging to victims, rescuers, and previous operational teams, were handed over to the Maldivian Police and formally seized as part of the ongoing investigation.

Diving operations were conducted according to established tech & cave diving team procedures, with clearly assigned operational roles including recovery work, safety support, and documentation. The team used closed-circuit rebreathers (CCR), DPVs, and redundant systems designed for deep overhead environments. These technologies enabled them to safely operate for extended periods inside the cave while optimising decompression, mobility, and safety.

DAN Europe wishes to sincerely thank all individuals, institutions, and operational teams involved in making this highly complex international mission possible.

Special Thanks

(in alphabetical order)

Finnish Diving Rescue Team

• Sami Paakkarinen
• Jenni Westerlund
• Patrik Grönqvist

Maldivian Authorities and Operational Teams

• Abdulla Niyaf (Chief Medical Officer, ADK)
• Ahmed Siyam (LTC, Director Maritime Operations, MNDF Coast Guard)
• Maldives National Defence Force Coast Guard (Operational coordination and support)
• Maldivian Coast Guard and Police Diving Units (Operational diving support)

Italian Authorities

• Alberto Arcidiacono (Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of Italy in Sri Lanka)
• Damiano Francovigh (Italian Ambassador to Colombo)
• Filippo Romano (Counselor, MAECI)
• Francesca D’Antonio (Embassy of Italy in Colombo)
• Giorgia Marazzi (Italian Honorary Consul)

DAN Europe Headquarters and Field Team

• Alessandro Marroni (President and Founder, DAN Europe)
• Chiara Ferri (Medical Director, DAN Europe)
• Cristian Pellegrini (Marketing and Communications Manager, DAN Europe)
• Giuseppe D’Amato (DAN Europe Representative in the Maldives)
• Greta Marcelli (DAN Europe Representative in the Maldives)
• Guy Thomas (Safety Director, DAN Europe)
• Laura Marroni (CEO, DAN Europe)
• Manuela Tuccella (Media Communication & Dissemination Manager, DAN Europe)
• Marta Marrocco (Director, Assistance & Claims Services, DAN Europe)
• Sara Roncati (PR Manager, DAN Europe)

Logistics and Local Support

• Abdulla Nashiz (NAKAI Alimathà Resort)
• Alberto Gherli (White Wave Maldives, Logistics Support Team)
• Federico Piu (NAKAI Alimathà Resort, Logistics Support Team)
• Ismail Yameen (Logistics Support Team)
• Marc Kouwenberg (Aquaventure Tec Center, Logistics Support Team)
• Marco Mignoli (NAKAI Alimathà Resort)
• Mohamed Rifshan Shaheem (Scuba Divine Maldives Dhangethi)
• Nashiz Abdulla (NAKAI Alimathà Resort)
• Hyperbaric team Bandos Medical Clinic

The mission concludes in memory of the six victims of this tragedy: the five Italian divers and the Maldivian officer who lost his life during the rescue operations.

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.

www.daneurope.org