THE FINAL FOOTAGE LOOKED PEACEFUL. THE AIR TEST WAS HORRIFYING: A chilling contradiction has opened a new chapter in the Maldives cave mystery… 👇👇

The final two bodies of the group of Italians who died after going missing while scuba diving in the Maldives have been recovered.

PEOPLE previously reported that a group of five Italians, four tourists and a diving instructor, went missing during the incident in an underwater cave on Thursday, May 14.

While one of the diver’s bodies was located hours after the incident, the Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF) announced on Monday, May 18, that the remaining four tourists had been located.

The bodies of the tourists were found inside a 197-foot-deep cave in Vaavu Atoll by a team of Finnish and Maldivian divers, local authorities told BBC News. It’s thought they were found in the same cave where the first body, that of instructor Gianluca Benedetti, was found.

Rescuers recovered the first body on the same day of the incident, per The Independent, with two more being recovered on Tuesday, May 19, PEOPLE previously reported.

The Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation Republic of Maldives announced in a press release on Wednesday, May 20, that the final two bodies from the diving group had been recovered.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

“The Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation confirms that the four Italian nationals who were missing since the diving incident in Vaavu Atoll on 14 May 2026 have now been recovered,” the release read.

The statement added, “With Gianluca Benedetti recovered earlier, all five who lost their lives in this tragedy have now been accounted for: Gianluca Benedetti, Giorgia Sommacal, Monica Montefalcone, Federico Gualtieri, and Muriel Oddenino.”

Related Stories

Remains of Second U.S. Soldier Found in Cave Nearly 2 Weeks After She Went Missing in the Ocean

Body of Cave Diver, 65, Found 1 Day After He Vanished in ‘Labyrinth’ of Underground Tunnels

The ministry went on to express its “deepest condolences” to the loved ones of the victims.

“Relevant authorities continue to work closely with the families and with the diplomatic representatives of Italy to ensure that all necessary arrangements are carried out with care and respect,” they added.

“We continue to honor the memory of Sergeant First Class Mohamed Mahdi, whose sacrifice during this operation will not be forgotten,” the statement said in reference to the Maldivian National Defense Force rescuer who died while searching for the bodies on Saturday, May 16.

The last two divers recovered from the cave on Wednesday were identified as Giorgia Sommacal, 22, and Muriel Oddenino, 31, per The Independent.

Government spokesperson Mohamed Hussain Shareef ​told Reuters that all the bodies would be repatriated to Italy.

He added that authorities would investigate to “find the facts of what happened.”

PEOPLE previously reported that the divers were connected to the Università di Genova in Italy.

The group consisted of professor Monica Montefalcone, a marine biologist and associate professor at the Università di Genova, her daughter Giorgia Sommacal, research assistant Muriel Oddenino and recent graduate Federico Gualtieri.

They were also joined by boat operations manager and diving instructor, Gianluca Benedetti, who was recovered first.

Previously speaking with local newspaper La Repubblica, Montefalcone’s husband said that his wife “would never have put the life of our daughter or other kids at risk,” adding that “something must have happened.”

PEOPLE reached out to the Maldives National Defence Force and the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation Republic of Maldives and Università di Genova for further comment.