The last words of one of the marine biologists who died in a scuba diving accident in the Maldives were a tribute to the lifelong passion that ultimately cost her life. Monica Montefalcone was among the five Italians vanished during a deep-water dive and presumed trapped inside a cave 200 feet underwater in the Indian Ocean island nation Thursday — in what officials called the single worst diving accident the idyllic nation has ever seen.

One body has been recovered during search operations since the tragic incident on Thursday, May 14

Five Italian divers and a rescuer have died in the Maldives. What caused the deaths?

"The divers are reported to have died while attempting to explore caves at a depth of 50 metres," Italy's foreign ministry said in a statement