A brief pat on the shoulder from their instructor—a symbolic gesture mirroring the helmet touch given to divers before each plunge—marked the beginning of a new chapter for Edoardo Carminati, Filippo Ferrandina, Massimiliano Molinari, and Roberto Bertolucci. Today, they stand as the newest members of the Italian Navy’s Underwater Operations Group (Gruppo Operativo Subacquei, GOS).
Surrounded by families, mentors, and now fellow divers at the Teseo Tesei Underwater and Special Operations Command (COMSUBIN) in La Spezia, the four graduates reflected on their grueling 11-month training. Over 200 dives—day and night, in increasingly challenging conditions—tested their mastery of specialized equipment, including oxygen rebreathers, mixed-gas systems, traditional diving suits, and surface-supplied diving rigs.
Admiral Enrico Credendino, Chief of the Italian Navy Staff, underscored the significance of their role: “The underwater domain is growing more complex, filled with sensors, drones, submarines, and motherships for both civilian and military purposes. Yet the human factor remains irreplaceable. The expertise, resilience, and precision of our divers are vital to Italy’s ability to project security and control across the Mediterranean’s underwater frontiers.”
The four divers emerged victorious from an environment designed to push limits. Driven by unwavering motivation and teamwork, they leaned on each other and the seasoned instructors of COMSUBIN’s Training Group (Gruppo Scuole).
Rear Admiral Stefano Frumento, COMSUBIN’s Commander, emphasized: “The Training Group is the backbone of our command, shaping operators capable of working at extreme depths, under technical and environmental duress. A diver is also an underwater explosives expert, executing high-risk tasks in their natural element: the water.”
Their journey has only begun. These divers will now plunge to depths of 300 meters to rescue stricken submarines, investigate underwater explosions, and clear ordnance from Italy’s seas, lakes, and rivers. Recently, GOS’s Rapid Deployment Unit aided the Genoa Prosecutor’s Office following explosions that breached the tanker Seajewel off Savona.
Elite Standards, Elite Results
The path to the coveted blue beret—emblem of the diving specialty—is unforgiving. Of the eight candidates who began training in January, only four succeeded. “This course isn’t for everyone,” said Rear Admiral Frumento. “The standards are exceptionally high. These operators must remain calm under pressure, where lives hang in the balance. They’ve chosen to join an elite group devoted to Italy’s service. To them, I say: Keep your eyes fixed on the guiding star—‘Non si volta chi a stella è fiso’ [‘He who is fixed on a star does not turn back’].”
As they move forward, these divers carry the pride of joining a legacy of excellence—a team tasked with safeguarding Italy’s waters and, by extension, its people.
Source: Italian Navy
