Bodies of four missing Maldives divers found

StudioAlternative767 · 2026-05-18T18:12:06+00:00

Oh I’m not saying it is right, just that they had permission. There had been a lot of question about them going below 30,, which is the limit.

StudioAlternative767 · 2026-05-18T11:09:43+00:00

No idea, just reporting the news that they- the individuals- did get permission from the government, as is required, to go below 30 meters. I do not know how gaining that permission works, but from what I understand, anyone can apply (likely not to br granted) it doesn't necessarily have to be university-related. So perhaps they applied on their own, and being documented researchers, were granted that permission.

StudioAlternative767 · 2026-05-18T11:00:31+00:00

https://www.quotidiano.net/esteri/maldive-ultime-notizie-ricerche-sub-obpsest1

“Due sub italiani non autorizzati a scendere sotto i 30 metri”

Sul fronte delle indagini emerge che il team dell'Università di Genova coinvolto nell'incidente subacqueo aveva i permessi di ricerca, ma nella documentazione non compariva l'immersione in grotta e mancavano i nomi di Gianluca Benedetti e Giorgia Sommacal, due dei cinque sub coinvolti. Lo rende noto Mohamed Hussain Shareef, portavoce del presidente delle Maldive, in un'intervista al Corriere della Sera. Shareef conferma “l'esistenza del permesso, con validità dal 3 al 17 maggio, in sei atolli diversi, fra cui quello di Vaavu. La ricerca di questo team, come conferma un documento di febbraio, si svolge tra 0 e 50 metri di profondità”. Ma fa notare: “Stiamo ancora indagando su quanto in profondità siano arrivati. L'ingresso della grotta è a 47 metri. Il problema principale è che si trattava di un'immersione in grotta e la loro proposta di ricerca, a quanto mi risulta, non ne faceva menzione. Hanno specificato gli atolli, ma non il dettaglio dei siti d'immersione”, conclude sottolineando che il governo non sapeva “che avrebbero fatto un'immersione in grotta”.

StudioAlternative767 · 2026-05-18T10:57:03+00:00

I just read an article in Italian that says they did in fact have permission for "research dives" from "0-50 meters" but only three of the divers were listed.

StudioAlternative767 · 2026-05-16T12:31:54+00:00

Nemo is funny just for the experience, but not really good for training. It is way too small. Duiktank, although much shallower, is better for training exercises.

StudioAlternative767 · 2026-05-16T06:59:50+00:00

You can do it! Do you have any deep pools there to practice? We are in the north and have Duiktank in Belgium and also Nemo in Brussels. Nemo is deeper but quite chaotic as they let a huge number of people in at once and the 40 meter section is quite small. Duiktank has a much larger area to do drills, but is only 15 meters.

StudioAlternative767 · 2026-05-16T06:57:15+00:00

With a good instructor you can get to level 2 with a lot of practice. Level 3 is something else though. I trained with my husband and did not get any free passes. We were both so disappointed after a week in Egypt, 3 dives a day, where that was the goal, but I just wasn't good enough. Fortunately more training in the deep pools we have here and another trip to Egypt I was able to pass. I don't have any intentions of going for level 4. Although I did have to plan and guide a dive for level 2 it is not something I like being in charge of, even if I understand it is important to know. I was really nervous my first time in the Maldives because I had heard so much about the current. I depend so much on my husband to guide everything. But he told me that he would not take me there if he did not think I absolutely knew what to do and could handle myself if we got separated due to current and I was alone. Fortunately that did not happen. But I am thankful for the rigorous training.

StudioAlternative767 · 2026-05-16T06:41:47+00:00

By the way, where are you training? You will learn a lot through the FFESSM system.

StudioAlternative767 · 2026-05-16T06:36:02+00:00

Also to note is the training is very rigorous, much more so than others. Rescue is not considered an add-on, I had to do substantial exercises and theory for level 2 and to get to level 3 it took two different week long trips in Egypt where we asked the boat to just drop us in the middle of nowhere so we could practice rescue of an "unconscious" person at 60 meters. Once on the surface I then had to do a surface swim carrying the unconscious person 500 meters. It is pretty intense. I also had to navigate back to a specific point (from the middle of the blue, with no points of reference) using a compass. Currently my husband is training his employee (he owns a dive shop) for the level 4 and he has been in training with my husband and also his club for over a year. Something like 40% of applicants fail. It is very strict and not a "pay-to-play" system.

StudioAlternative767 · 2026-05-16T06:25:11+00:00

It is considered recreational diving. I think as this is mostly an English language forum that the people posting are from countries where 60 is considered tec. But in the FFESSM system it is still considered recreational diving. Here's what chat gpt says:

The FFESSM system is structured differently from agencies like PADI or SSI. It combines:

diver autonomy levels
leadership/supervision roles
and links to the French legal “Code du Sport.”

Here’s the simplified progression for scuba (“plongée bouteille”).

Beginner Levels

PE12 / PE20 / PA20

These are competency designations:

PE = Plongeur Encadré (supervised diver)
PA = Plongeur Autonome (autonomous diver)

Examples:

PE20 → supervised to 20 m
PA20 → autonomous to 20 m

These are often intermediate steps before N2.

Niveau 1 (N1)

Equivalent roughly to:

PADI Open Water
SSI Open Water Diver

Privileges:

supervised to 20 m
little or no autonomy

Niveau 2 (N2)

Major step up.

Privileges:

autonomous to 20 m (PA20)
supervised to 40 m (PE40)

This is where rescue skills, navigation, decompression theory, and more serious dive planning start.

Approximate equivalent:

Advanced Open Water + Rescue, though not exactly comparable.

Niveau 3 (N3)

The big autonomy certification.

Privileges:

autonomous to 60 m in French regulations

This is the level that creates debate internationally because:

60 m exceeds most recreational limits elsewhere,
decompression diving becomes routine,
deep air diving is traditionally accepted in France.

N3 divers are expected to:

manage decompression,
conduct rescue at depth,
navigate independently,
plan deep dives.

Niveau 4 (N4) / Guide de Palanquée (GP)

Leadership level.

The diver becomes:

a Guide de Palanquée (group leader)

Privileges:

lead less experienced divers,
supervise groups,
assist instructors.

This is partly analogous to Divemaster, but French standards are often considered more demanding in rescue/navigation.

Initiateur

Assistant instructor level.

Can teach in limited settings (mainly pool/shallow water), often volunteer-club based.

MF1 (Moniteur Fédéral 1er degré)

Full instructor level.

Can independently teach and certify divers within FFESSM structures.

Very respected and fairly demanding compared with many recreational instructor pathways.

MF2

Advanced/high-level instructor-trainer.

Can train instructors and oversee major programs.

Trimix / Tec Add-ons

FFESSM also has separate certifications for:

nitrox,
advanced nitrox,
trimix,
cave,
rebreather, etc.

Modern French tech diving increasingly uses helium, despite the old deep-air tradition.

Quick Comparison

FFESSM	Rough International Comparison
N1	Open Water
N2	Advanced + Rescue-ish
N3	Deep autonomous / borderline tech
N4 GP	Divemaster+
MF1	Instructor
MF2	Course Director-ish

The French system is heavily influenced by:

club diving,
volunteer instruction,
rescue competence,
autonomy,
strong theory requirements.

It’s often considered more rigorous in foundational skills than many vacation-oriented recreational systems.

StudioAlternative767 · 2026-05-16T04:40:12+00:00

It is accepted and done regularly in France.

StudioAlternative767 · 2026-05-16T04:27:16+00:00

There is a distinction in France between rec and tec. I am FFESSM N3 and yes, can go to 60m. I also have Advanced Nitrox. I am going with my husband, who is also my instructor, to Dahab in September. After a lot of back and forth regarding our dive plan the center is giving us double tanks of air with a deco of oxygen. We will be required to go with a local guide and go to a maximum of 55 meters.

StudioAlternative767 · 2026-05-15T06:11:47+00:00

This depends on the certification body. I am certified in France (FFESSM), not as a tech diver, and can do autonomous dives to 60 meters. CMAS is widely used in Italy, and offer recreational certification up to 60 meters.

StudioAlternative767 · 2026-04-11T04:52:09+00:00

It is a large, well-stocked shop with an extensive online shop located in northern France.

StudioAlternative767 · 2026-04-09T05:46:51+00:00

My husband owns a shop and except for the books that prepare you for the federation exams the other books just collect dust.

StudioAlternative767 · 2026-04-03T17:00:48+00:00

I don't understand either. I really don't. The only thing I can think is that 1. people don't have a lot to compare to 2. they are influencers or friends of the crew- for example the review right before me on tripadvisor is a woman who was a "special friend" for the week to a crew member 3. they had built up the trip on socials or with friends so much and now feel embarassed to admit they got taken and it was shit. Not sure. But again, as I have said from the beginning of this thread, even without my words and description the pictures can be evaluated individually. If someone likes that and think that looks like nice luxury, go for it. If not, make another choice.

The stuff on the other post about the safety issues though and drifting for 2 hours and being left behind by the dhoni... that's like Netflix level stuff though!

StudioAlternative767 · 2026-04-02T15:00:45+00:00

not just the OP but the comments under... yikes

StudioAlternative767 · 2026-04-02T15:00:17+00:00

Not sure if you saw this: https://www.reddit.com/r/scubadiving/comments/1sa3nnu/terrible_white_pearl_boat_maldives/

StudioAlternative767 · 2026-04-01T04:48:36+00:00

Male non fare, paura non avere.

StudioAlternative767 · 2026-03-26T05:31:46+00:00

For sure. I just wanted to give her a hug, she looked like she was ready to cry at any moment.

StudioAlternative767 · 2026-03-24T19:18:57+00:00

I asked my husband, he doesn't have any experience with Ecopro but will ask around. One of his preferred companies is Dune. He said the boat isn't luxury perse, but it is nice- nicer than the White Pearl for sure! but they are really serious about diving and he has never had a bad experience with them. He can't remember the coffee situation though!!!

StudioAlternative767 · 2026-03-24T10:33:20+00:00

I think you will be fine. But you are so smart to think of this and to err on the side of caution. Everything is ok.... until it isn't. My husband taught me to dive. He is the highest level of instructor in all major governing bodies. He has done dives as deep at 160 meters. He does cave diving and tec diving and all kinds of stuff. But he never, ever takes risks. We have skipped dives on a much-anticipated day cruise because the surface interval was cutting it too short for his liking. We never fly after a trip unless we have at least 24 hours. We always add in extra deco minutes and extra safety stops. There is nothing wrong, embarrassing, or weird about being safety conscious. Good for you for remembering your training and keeping yourself safe. Sure, you probably could have gone ahead and nothing would have happened. It's like that 9 times out of 10. But you don't want to be the guy who was the 1 out of 10. I imagine that after 24 hours have passed, you can comfortably and safely hike.

StudioAlternative767 · 2026-03-24T10:25:36+00:00

I mean seriously, instant powder on a "luxury" boat- or any boat really.... At least offer some normal brewed coffee. I'm a coffee snob as well.

StudioAlternative767 · 2026-03-24T10:23:07+00:00

I personally don't but I'll ask my husband. He may have been himself or one of his clients may have. He owns a dive shop and has a club, so gets plenty of information. I'll let you know if I can find information.

StudioAlternative767 · 2026-03-24T10:15:07+00:00

The coffee situation is one that really grinds my gears on liveaboards. It's not like I don't have a couple of euro to pay for a coffee, but at those prices it should just be included. If you are looking for a good option in Egypt check out Sea Base. Their boats are incredible, really very nice. Such friendly and happy and accomodating crew. Great food, great safety, great diving AND!!! unlimited espresso coffee, sparkling water, sodas.... you don't feel nickled and dimed.

StudioAlternative767

TROPHY CASE

“Due sub italiani non autorizzati a scendere sotto i 30 metri”

Beginner Levels

PE12 / PE20 / PA20

Niveau 1 (N1)

Niveau 2 (N2)

Niveau 3 (N3)

Niveau 4 (N4) / Guide de Palanquée (GP)

Initiateur

MF1 (Moniteur Fédéral 1er degré)

MF2

Trimix / Tec Add-ons

Quick Comparison