THOUSANDS of mourners have attended the funeral of two Italian tourists who died during a cave dive in the Maldives.
Monica Montefalcone, 51, and her daughter Giorgia Sommacal, 22, were among five divers who vanished during a research trip on May 14.
Thousands gathered in Genoa, Italy for the funeral of two of the divers who died in the Maldives Credit: EPA
The coffins were covered in white roses as they were carried into the church Credit: EPA
Their bodies were discovered by expert divers deep inside inside Dhekunu Kandu cave in the Vaavu Atoll, also known as a week later.
A crowd of 2,000 people gathered at San Francesco di Pegli church in Genoa on Saturday for their funerals.
Carlo Sommacal, Monica’s husband and Giorgia’s father, and their youngest son, Matteo joined family and friends paying their respects.
Wreaths were laid on two light-coloured wooden coffins which were carried into the church where a picture of the mother and daughter was displayed.
Mourners pay their respects in front of pictures of the mother and her daughter displayed Credit: Shutterstock Editorial
Grieving family and friends comfort one another ahead of the funeral Credit: Shutterstock Editorial
Federico Colombo, Giorgia’s boyfriend, read out a heartbreaking tribute to his late partner during the ceremony.
He said: “Who would have thought I’d read these words, when we’re so full of plans and hopes for the future?
“I’m trying to find the strength to say goodbye. The candles are shaking, just like my voice and my hands.
“This farewell has come too soon; we shouldn’t have said goodbye like this.”
Monica Montefalcone’s husband has described her as an ‘expert diver’ who would never put her daughter at risk Credit: UGC/UNPIXS
Carlo’s daughter Giorgia Sommacal also perished in the tragedy Credit: UGC/UNPIXS
“When you love, you don’t dream of a perfect life,” Federico said.
“You dream of a life together. I saw you in your white dress, beautiful.
“I want to cherish the most beautiful memories: you walking barefoot around the house, falling asleep on my chest, getting angry and reaching for my hand, when you introduced me to lifelong friends.”
Monica, a researcher, had published at least four scientific papers on the collection of sediment from the ocean floor in the Maldives.
This included marine samples from depths between 210 and 270 feet, Italian newspaper Corriere Della Sera reported.
That is deeper than the cave where the group lost their lives which reaches 200ft.
It comes as mystery continues to swirl around the tragedy that marks one of the worst single diving accidents in the nation’s history.
Monica’s grieving husband Carlo previously said: “The only certainty I have is that my wife is among the best divers on the face of the earth.”
A haunting video shows inside the murky cave
He believes “something must have happened down there”, because his wife “would never have put our daughter’s life at risk”.
It comes as the Maldives Government announced three of the five divers – researchers Muriel Oddenino and Federico Gualtieri – had permits to go down to 160ft to sample the coral.
Authorities initially said the Duke of York yacht, from which the group launched the expedition, .
The five Italians were just 15 minutes from the surface when they died as a a final report revealed last week.
And their diving equipment was assessed as “not optimal”, by the rescue specialists who found them.
Finnish diver Sami Paakkarinen said that four of the corpses were “all together in one section of the cave”.
He described the cavern as “deep and very challenging” – noting how it took 50 minutes to reach it on the first day of the operation.
But after sorting out logistical measures like adjusting ropes and transporting equipment, it only took them 15 minutes to get to the cave.
Rescue workers dove about 200ft below the surface Credit: Instagram/ @daneurope
Speculating on the previously reported could have reduced visibility.
in total helping find the bodies.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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