Husband Who Lost His Wife and Daughter in Maldives Diving Tragedy Breaks Silence

She had completed more than 5,000 dives over her lifetime. Her husband never imagined the sea could take her.

Carlo Sommacal, a retired Italian scientist, has spoken out after losing both his wife and daughter in what authorities are calling the worst single diving accident in Maldives history.

His wife, Monica Montefalcone, 52, an award-winning marine biologist and associate professor of ecology at the University of Genoa, and their daughter Giorgia Sommacal, 22, were among five Italians who vanished during a deep-water cave dive at Vaavu Atoll on the morning of May 14, 2026.

The group had set out on an 11 a.m. dive aboard the vessel "The Duke of York" and never resurfaced. Speaking to Italian newspaper La Repubblica, Carlo insisted his wife — who had logged more than 5,000 dives — could not have acted recklessly.

"The only certainty I have is that my wife is among the best divers on the face of the earth. She would have never jeopardised the life of our daughter or any other young people," he said. "Something must have happened down there."

The cave where the tragedy occurred sits approximately 60 metres (approx. 190 feet) below the surface — double the Maldives' recreational diving limit. The bodies of four divers, including Monica and Giorgia, were subsequently located in the cave's deepest chamber. A Maldivian rescue diver also died while searching for the victims.

The operating licence of "The Duke of York" has been suspended pending investigation. A Maldivian defence force yellow weather alert warning of strong winds and rough seas had been issued on the morning of the fatal dive.