The family of military diver Mohamed Mahdee, who tragically passed away during a search and rescue operation for missing Italian tourists in Vaavu Atoll, has expressed deep concern following the refusal of relevant authorities to rectify errors on his death certificate.
Mahdee passed away last May at ADK Hospital while undergoing treatment for decompression sickness (bends), which he suffered while diving deep underwater during the search mission. However, his family was alarmed to discover that the death certificate issued by the hospital inexplicably listed his status as “rescued” rather than stating his death.
In a social media statement, Mahdee’s younger brother, Farish Ibrahim, revealed that when the family requested ADK Hospital to correct the documentation, hospital management stated they could not make any alterations without explicit orders from an official authority. The family added that even after meeting directly with the Minister of Defense to address the issue, they were told that no changes could be made to the certificate.
According to Farish, findings from the family’s own investigation—supported by footage from Mahdee’s GoPro camera and accounts from accompanying divers—indicate that Mahdee became trapped inside an underwater cave after his guideline detached. The family has accused authorities of trying to cover up the true circumstances surrounding the incident, noting that it was Marine Police divers who ultimately retrieved his body from the seabed.
Adding to their emotional distress, the family highlighted that Mahdee’s phone remains impounded in police custody. Although the police launched an official investigation into the tragedy, no government agency or authority has made any details or progress of the probe public to date.
