Ashes of Monica Montefalcone and Daughter Scattered in Sardinia

The ashes of marine biologist Monica Montefalcone and her daughter, Giorgia Sommacal, were scattered into the waters of Capo Mannu in Sardinia, fulfilling a final wish to rest in their favorite vacation spot. The ceremony took place early in the morning following the necessary regional authorizations for sea burial.

Montefalcone, who also worked as a university professor and ecology lecturer at the University of Genoa, and her daughter tragically died last May during a dive in the underwater caves of the Vaavu Atoll in the Maldives. That fatal incident also claimed the lives of three other Italians: researcher Muriel Oddenino, dive guide Gianluca Benedetti, and recent graduate Federico Gualtieri.

Setting off from the Mandriola dock at seven in the morning, a small dinghy carried Carlo Sommacal, the husband and father, alongside their son Matteo and a gathering of close family members and friends. The journey out to sea and back was marked by profound sorrow and absolute silence.

Reflecting on the emotional voyage, Carlo Sommacal shared, 'Now the sea they loved will cradle and protect them forever.' Following the ceremony, he returned to his home in Genoa.

Longtime family friend Gianni Lutzu described the morning outing as resembling a second funeral. He noted that the entire proceeding, from departure to return, unfolded in complete and heavy silence.

Montefalcone maintained a deep, lifelong connection to the region of San Vero Milis, having spent her childhood summers in Mandriola swimming and walking along the coast. Friends are now planning to honor her memory by engraving a special dedication onto a sandstone stone at Capo Mannu, near the spot where she loved to run in the early mornings during her holidays.

In a related development, the Embassy of Italy in Colombo and the honorary consular agency in Malé recently launched a fundraising campaign to support the family of Sergeant Major Mohamed Mahudhee. The Maldives National Defence Force soldier died during the recovery operations for the five missing Italians following the May tragedy. The fundraising initiative will remain active through December 31, 2026.