The recent tragedy that took the lives of six SCUBA divers in the Maldives is still capturing headlines as rescue divers continue to risk their lives to close this awful chapter in diving history. The deceased include four Italian tourists, an Italian dive guide, and a Maldivian military diver. The tourists and guide were diving in a deep underwater cave when they failed to resurface. A military diver then died in an attempt to reach the bodies.
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DAN (Divers Alert Network) Europe confirmed today in a press release that rescue divers have successfully completed the recovery of all victims involved in the diving tragedy. The Finnish rescue team completing these technical dives consists of Sami Paakkarinen, Jenni Westerlund, and Patrik Grönqvist.
During today’s three-hour operation, DAN Europe says these three divers recovered the final two victims’ bodies. The team used advanced technical diving systems to conduct this grim task in an underwater cave more than 160 feet deep.
[RELATED: ‘WE FOUND ALL FOUR’: Bodies of Divers Found, Two Recovered]
“Although the main recovery phase has now been completed, the mission itself is not yet over,” the press release says. “Tomorrow, the team is expected to conduct what will likely be the final operational dive of the mission. In accordance with best practices, the divers will return to the site to remove guide lines and operational equipment placed inside the cave system during the recovery efforts, restoring the environment and removing traces of human intervention wherever possible.”
In a Facebook post from DAN Europe, one of the rescue divers, Patrik Grönqvist, said: “We’re not heroes, we’re divers.”
Read the post in full and see photos of the rescue divers helping out in the Maldives tragedy below:
Header stock image by yusufkayaoglu / 500px/Getty Images
