The bodies of four Italian divers, missing in the Maldives, have been found within a sea cave in Vaavu Atoll, according to Italy’s Foreign Ministry.

On Monday, searches resumed after being halted due to the death of a local military diver during a previous rescue attempt. Five Italian divers were initially thought to have perished while exploring the cave, at a depth of around 50 meters (160 feet). The diving limit in the Maldives is 30 meters (98 feet).

Officials had previously found the body of one Italian diving instructor outside the cave.

To aid in the search efforts, three Finnish divers specializing in deep and cave diving arrived on Sunday. Collaborating with the Maldives police and military, they embarked on a combined search operation. This operation led to the discovery of the four bodies, stated Ahmed Shaam, a spokesman for the Maldives government.

“Searchers will now devise a plan to bring the bodies to the surface,” said Shaam.

It remains uncertain whether the bodies were sighted directly by divers or detected using underwater drone cameras.

Mohamed Hussain Shareef, a presidential spokesperson, noted that search efforts were previously suspended when military diver Mohamed Mahudhee succumbed to decompression sickness on Saturday after being hospitalized.

Rescue operations faced challenges due to adverse weather conditions. Initial teams had already marked the cave’s entrance to facilitate locating the Italians. The investigation into the exact cause of their deaths is ongoing.