Five tourists die in Maldives after vanishing during 160ft dive

Five Italian nationals have died while scuba diving ‌in the Maldives. The tragedy occurred in the Vaavu Atoll, where the ⁠group had been attempting to explore underwater caves at a depth of around 165 feet, Italy's foreign ministry said on Thursday. One of the victims is believed to be a researcher from Genoa, reports Il Sole 24 Ore. According to Maldivian outlet The Edition, the five tourists were aboard the Duke of York , a diving vessel operated by foreign staff, and went missing during a dive near Alimathaa. They had reportedly entered the water in the morning and were reported missing by the crew when they had not resurfaced by midday. Weather conditions at the dive site were reportedly poor at the time of the incident. The ministry and the Italian Embassy in Colombo are contacting the victims’ families to provide consular assistance. Maldivian authorities are investigating the incident. This is a Breaking News story. You’ll be more likely to see our stories when any big news breaks in future by simply by clicking this link . You can also join The Mirror’s WhatsApp Community or follow us on Google News , Flipboard , Apple News , TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads - or visit The Mirror homepage .