For illustration purposes: Snorkeling over Coral Reef in the Maldives, Indian Ocean
The Victims Were Experienced Divers
The tragedy stunned many in Italy because several of the victims had deep ties to marine science and professional diving.
Monica Montefalcone, 51, worked as a researcher at the University of Genoa’s Department of Earth Sciences. Her 23-year-old daughter, Giorgia Sommacal, was traveling with her.
Muriel Oddenino, 31, was a marine ecology specialist who had contributed to scientific research focused on protecting marine ecosystems.
Muriel Oddenino seen in a post dated September 2020 | Source: Facebook/muriel.oddenino
Federico Gualtieri was both a diving instructor and a recent graduate in Biological Sciences and Marine Biology from the University of Genoa.
Gianluca Benedetti, originally from Padua, had spent years working in banking and finance before leaving the industry to pursue scuba diving professionally. The tragedy deeply affected Italy’s marine science community.
In a tribute posted on X, Greenpeace Italy remembered Montefalcone’s years of environmental work and his role in marine conservation projects.
“We will immensely miss her professionalism and her advice,” the organization wrote. “And that special light she had in her eyes when she spoke of the wonders of the sea and the importance of protecting them.”
With so much diving experience among the group, investigators began asking a troubling question: What could have killed all five divers during the same dive?
For illustration purposes: Diver at Coral Reef, Maldives, Indian Ocean, Meemu Atoll | Source: Getty Images
Questions Started Emerging Almost Immediately
As recovery efforts continued, many struggled to understand how such an experienced group could die during the same dive. Confusion even surrounded the recovery operation itself.
According to posts shared by RTL 102.5 and Cerfia, early reports about the first recovered body conflicted, with some initially identifying the victim as Montefalcone before later reports suggested it was Benedetti.
Meanwhile, investigators reportedly began examining possible violations involving diving regulations, weather warnings, and equipment used during the excursion.
Family members also began speaking publicly as the mystery deepened.
In comments reported by La Repubblica, Carlo Sommacal, Montefalcone’s husband and Giorgia’s father, rejected suggestions that the group may have acted recklessly.
“My wife is experienced and never reckless,” he said. “Something happened down there.”
Sommacal also suggested Montefalcone may have been wearing a GoPro camera during the dive, raising the possibility that footage from the expedition could eventually help investigators reconstruct the group’s final moments underwater.
At the same time, Gianluca Benedetti’s mother described the family’s grief as “unspeakable pain,” according to Libero Quotidiano.
The five divers who lost their lives, from a post dated May 14, 2026 | Source: X/CerfiaFR
Experts Began Focusing on a Chilling Possibility
As officials searched for answers, diving and medical specialists started discussing one particularly frightening theory.
According to Adnkronos Salute, some experts now believe the deaths may have been connected to oxygen toxicity, also known as hyperoxia.
The condition can occur during deep dives when oxygen concentrations become dangerously high under intense underwater pressure.
Pulmonologist Claudio Micheletto described it as one of the worst emergencies a diver can experience.
“Death from oxygen toxicity, or hyperoxia, is one of the most dramatic deaths that can occur during a dive — a horrible end,” Micheletto said.
According to the specialist, excessive oxygen exposure underwater can rapidly damage both the lungs and the nervous system.
Symptoms may include dizziness, chest pain, confusion, disorientation, altered consciousness, and severe neurological effects.
Underwater, those symptoms can become fatal within moments. “When you breathe in too high a concentration of oxygen, the gas becomes toxic to the body,” Micheletto explained.
The fact that all five divers died during the same dive reportedly raised serious concerns among specialists.
Micheletto said the tragedy suggested “not so much a problem with the depth, but rather with what they were breathing.” He added, “It’s likely that something went wrong with the tanks.”
For illustration purposes: Corals close to Maldive Island, Maldives, Indian Ocean, Meemu Atoll | Source: Getty Images
Another Dangerous Theory Emerged
Additional possibilities have also surfaced as investigators continue reviewing the circumstances surrounding the dive.
Alfonso Bolognini, president of the Italian Society of Underwater and Hyperbaric Medicine, said an “inadequate breathing mix” could potentially trigger a hyperoxic crisis affecting the brain and nervous system.
But he also warned that another hidden danger may have been involved. “There have been cases of poisoning due to hydrocarbon contamination when the tanks are not properly filled,” Bolognini explained.
The specialist also discussed the psychological risks of cave diving at extreme depths. Inside underwater caves, one distressed diver can stir sediment from the seabed, instantly clouding visibility for everyone nearby.
In those conditions, panic can spread rapidly and lead to fatal mistakes within seconds. Bolognini stressed that investigators still do not have direct evidence confirming exactly what happened underwater.
For illustration purposes: Maldives Island, Indian Ocean, Ari Atoll | Source: Getty Images
A Survivor Who Never Entered the Water
As details continued emerging, investigators uncovered one final fact that stunned many following the case. According to Libero Quotidiano, a sixth Italian diver had originally planned to join the excursion.
The student from Genoa was reportedly preparing to enter the water alongside the others before deciding to remain aboard the boat instead.
The reason for the decision remains unclear. Reports suggested it may have been caused by caution or a temporary illness. Shortly afterward, the dive turned deadly.
The young woman is now considered the only direct survivor connected to the expedition and could become one of the investigation’s most important witnesses.
For now, authorities continue searching for answers beneath the waters of one of the world’s most famous diving destinations — while the mystery surrounding what truly happened inside that underwater cave only continues to grow.
While officials in the Maldives continue piecing together the divers’ final moments, another shocking tragedy has unfolded much closer to home. What began as a routine train inspection near the U.S.-Mexico border quickly turned into a heartbreaking scene.
