Italian president awards Finnish divers state honours for Maldives recovery operation

Three Finnish divers have received Italy’s Order of Merit in recognition of their role in recovering the bodies of Italian divers killed in a cave accident on the Maldives last month, state broadcaster Yle reports.

President Sergio Mattarella awarded the honours to Sami Paakkarinen, Jenni Westerlund, and Patrik Grönqvist for their participation in the three-day operation, which retrieved four of the five deceased from a deep underwater cave on Vaavu Atoll. A Maldivian diver died during the recovery effort.

The Order of Merit of the Italian Republic, established in 1951, is the country’s highest civilian distinction. It is typically awarded for achievements in the arts, economy, literature, philanthropy, humanitarian work, or long military or civil service careers. In this case, Mattarella granted the honours on his own initiative rather than through the order’s standard nomination process.