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“The victims have been identified as Monica Montefalcone, an associate professor of ecology at the University of Genoa; her daughter, Giorgia Sommacal; marine biologist Federico Gualtieri; researcher Muriel Oddenino; and diving instructor Gianluca Benedetti, according to the Maldivian government,” the CBS article read.

He said that the four bodies were found “pretty much together,” and that the plan was to recover two bodies on Tuesday and the remaining two on Wednesday.

Piantedosi, however, sought to draw a distinction between the Modena attack and the government’s migration policies, stressing the suspect’s Italian citizenship — while noting that doesn’t guarantee successful integration.

His comments came as some Italian politicians seized on the attack to voice xenophobic rhetoric, and also renewed focus on so-called second-generation Italians — people born or raised in Italy to foreign parents — who are often at the center of debates over identity, citizenship and integration.

“At this stage, there are no elements that correspond to the classic profile of a terrorist who plans violent actions,” Piantedosi said in an interview with daily Il Giornale, noting the man’s mental health concerns and social distress. “But all this cannot lead us to dismiss the attack as the act of an isolated madman.”

Political debate on migration heats up The suspect, born in Italy and university-educated, had been diagnosed with a personality disorder and had shown frustration over his work and social condition, local authorities said. They said the man underwent treatment in 2022 for what officials described as a schizoid disorder before dropping out of care.

Still, the case has fueled political debate in Italy, where controlling and limiting migration is a key priority in Premier Giorgia Meloni’s right-wing agenda.

Modena Mayor Massimo Mezzetti called generalizations about foreigners “nonsense,” noting that two Egyptian migrants were among those who helped stop the attacker.

Maldives presidential spokesperson Mohamed Hussain Shareef said earlier that the search was suspended after Mohamed Mahudhee, a member of the Maldivian National Defense Force, died of underwater decompression sickness after being transferred to a hospital in the capital on Saturday.