Technical Support Diver / Medic

Ben, born in Belgium, began diving in 1991. Over the past 25 years, he has taught and dived worldwide, holding trainer levels from five different diving agencies. Ben is a Dive Medic Instructor and a board-certified Hyperbaric Technologist. During his time in Thailand, he achieved record-breaking dives, including a 239-meter dive in Sra Keow cave and the deepest ocean dive at 202.5 meters in the Blue Hole in Dahab. As one of the few cave instructor trainers globally and a co-author of technical training programs, Ben is highly respected in the diving community. He is currently based in Finland, focusing on technical diving training.

Technical Support Diver / Surface Supervisor

Miranda is an Instructor Trainer and technical diver from Toronto, Canada. As a child, she dreamed of traveling the world and spending as much time underwater as possible. Upon finishing school, she began to make both of those dreams a reality. Diving full time for 8 years now, Miranda splits her year between Malta and Mexico. As much as she loves marine life (sharks in particular), after years of cave diving, her path is shifting towards exploration and CCR diving.

Technical Advisor

Michael Menduno (M2) is an award-winning journalist and technologist who has written about diving and diving technology for more than 30 years. He coined the term “technical diving.” His magazine aquaCORPS: The Journal for Technical Diving (1990-1996), helped usher tech diving into mainstream sports diving and he produced the first Tek.Conferences and Rebreather Forums 1.0, 2.0 and most recently Rebreather Forum 4 (2023). Michael is the co-founder and Editor-in-chief of InDEPTH online magazine and senior editor for DAN Europe’s Alert Diver. He is also a contributing editor for X-Ray, writes for Alert Diver (US), DeeperBlue.com and the Journal for Diving History, and is a member of the Rebreather Training Council. In addition, he served on the board of the Historical Diving Society (USA) 2019-2014.

Documentary Lead

Dedicated and meticulous cinematographer with an eye for detail. Comprehensive experience with all aspects of video production and post production. Proven ability to handle a variety of simultaneous projects and work under high-pressure deadlines. Bith-o is also a Co-founder of Ocean Six Fifty

"Bith-o is quick to establish rapport with clients and instantly sets them at ease with his professional, yet easy going style. As a cinematographer, Bith-o has a unique perspective of what works within the confines of the lens and is able to produce arresting and memorable imagery along with the soundscapes that goes with it." ~Nathaniel Ober

Event Operations & Logistics Manager

Shiraz has joined the Across Maldives team, bringing a wealth of experience spanning over two decades in Procurement, Logistics, and Event Management. A passionate photographer, Shiraz has even clinched awards in Kodak and national competitions.

Underwater Photographer

Saeed Rashid is a well-known underwater photographer, competition judge, and writer based in the UK. With extensive experience in capturing stunning images of marine life and underwater landscapes, Rashid is recognized for his expertise and artistic vision in the field of underwater photography. He has judged several international photography contests and has been a mentor to many aspiring photographers. Rashid is also a well-known writer for various international dive magazines, where he shares his insights and experiences on underwater photography and marine life. His passion for the ocean and his ability to capture its beauty through his lens and words have earned him widespread recognition and acclaim in the photography and dive communities. He was also part of Shaff's 50 Hour record breaking dive team.

Technical Support Diver / Marine Scientist

Dr. Dominic Bryant is a leading coral reef ecologist with over 15 years of experience in marine conservation and ecosystem restoration. His journey into marine biology began during a transformative trip to the Maldives in 1997, inspiring his PhD research on the effects of human land use on coral distribution across the Central Indian Ocean. The Maldives holds deep significance for Dominic, where he has witnessed the crucial role of conservation policies—such as the ban on herbivorous fish exports—in helping coral reefs recover from widespread bleaching events.

Dominic led groundbreaking expeditions to the Maldives in 2015 and 2017 as part of the XL Catlin Seaview Survey, contributing valuable insights to global reef monitoring and preservation efforts.

He remains passionate about supporting initiatives like the Across Maldives expedition, recognizing that such missions are indispensable for safeguarding the coral reefs that underpin the well-being of Maldivian communities.

Event Coordinator

With over 10 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Jen Nasym is known for her friendly demeanor and outstanding customer service. Throughout her career, she held supervisory and leadership roles, where her commitment to creating memorable guest experiences earned her recognition for excellence.

Technical Support Diver / Safety Supervisor

Ricardo, originally from Portugal, has spent most of his career diving and working around the world, often in remote locations. What began as a 10-day holiday in Thailand turned into an 11-year adventure, during which he spent over 9 years as a tour leader on a liveaboard, overseeing both recreational and technical diving seasons. With more than 20 years of experience in the diving industry, Ricardo is also a certified hyperbaric chamber operator and a skilled technical diver.

Lead Underwater Photographer

Bhushan Bagadia is a photographer based in Bangalore, India, known for his dance and underwater photography. He started his journey in photography while on tour with STEM Dance Kampni, serving as the lighting designer and capturing the experience through pictures. His love for diving began in 2006 during a holiday in the UK, and since then he has been passionate about underwater photography and filmmaking. He honed his skills in underwater photography and film-making by spending two months with Liquid Media in Thailand. He has traveled to several countries to pursue his passion for diving and has been to Australia, Maldives, Indonesia, UK, Thailand, and India. Bhushan also has a background in filmmaking, having studied at the New York Film Academy and taken advanced courses at the School of Visual Arts. He was the lead Underwater Cinematographer during Shaff's 50 Hour record breaking dive in 2022.

Underwater Video & Photographer

Nadine, a biologist from Germany, left behind the conventional life of her home country to pursue a career in scuba diving. Now residing in Malta, she spends much of her time travelling through Mexico and the US, while also embracing underwater photography. Although she loves teaching, her true passion lies in capturing moments through storytelling, especially photographing more challenging technical wrecks at deeper depths, as well as caves and untouched places around the world.

Dive Support Lead (aka Diver Number 8)

Afsheen, a seasoned telecom professional, is a dedicated diver and underwater photographer. He was also part of the supporting team during the Ocean650 50-hour dive event in 2022.

Support Diver / Marine Scientist

Azim Musthag (Zim) is an SSI Master Instructor, accomplished underwater photographer, and dedicated marine scientist. With over two decades of diving experience since 2001, he has cultivated a deep passion for the ocean and its conservation. As the operator of Maldivers, Zim has trained countless divers, sharing his expertise and love for the underwater world. His work in marine science and underwater photography showcases the beauty and fragility of marine ecosystems, making him a respected figure in both the diving and environmental communities. He was also a key dive team member during the Ocean 650 event.

Tech Support Diver / Operations

Alexander Bryant, the CEO of Emperor Divers, diving for 30 years, and a professional for 22, Alexander has a deep passion for the underwater world. His extensive background in diving gives him unique insights into the industry, enabling him to lead the company with a focus on safety, excellence, and sustainability. Under his leadership, Emperor Divers has expanded its global presence, offering top-notch diving experiences for all levels of divers. Alex's expertise as a dive instructor ensures that Emperor Divers maintains its reputation for high-quality training, exceptional liveaboard trips, and responsible ocean exploration.

Documentary Director

Andrew is a long time diver, photographer and writer. Originally from the USA, he has since lived across the Pacific, Asia, and Europe. While living on the island of Guam he devoted himself full time to the ocean, helping many new divers fall in love with the water while working as an instructor and enthusiastic underwater photographer. After much encouragement from his friends and students, he devoted himself full time to taking and sharing his images and writing about diving.

It took time and patience, but within a few years his photos and writing were appearing in dive and travel magazines around the world. To date he has written around 100 articles, four books, and had his photos and videos used in various media outlets on a regular basis. Along with the publishing work came invitations to speak at major dive shows across Asia, Europe, and North America. To this day Andrew is a regular speaker at major dive events; having spoken at many shows from Beijing to Singapore to the United States, and pretty much everywhere in between.

The next logical step for him was to start a media production and publishing company that focused on diving and adventure travel. Fata Morgana Media was born in 2016 and it currently has six titles in publication and thirteen more in production. The writers and photographers for these books are from around the world and feature the most recognizable names in the business. Currently he lives in Germany with his awesome wife Dalice and two daughters Elly and EJ “Doomy”.

Event Director

Sathom joins the Across Maldives team as the Event Director overseeing the event design and operations. He's also an entrepreneur with an affinity for innovation, product design, illustration and film making. Over the last few years his focus has primarily been on sustainability-driven platforms, products and technologies. He is also a Co-founder of the design firm Studio Surumuthi and non-profit The Eco Org.

Support Diver / Personal Fitness Trainer

Ibrahim Shaz, known as "Bodey," is a seasoned personal trainer with decades of experience in fitness and wellness. He has worked with a diverse range of clients, from elite athletes to everyday professionals, helping them achieve their fitness goals across generations. Specializing in strength, conditioning, and goal-specific training, Bodey’s deep understanding of human performance allows him to unlock each client’s full potential.

In addition to being a Divemaster and part of the support divers team during the Ocean650 event, Bodey is now the personal trainer for Shaff, preparing him to reach peak fitness for the upcoming Across Maldives 2025 event. He will also ensure Shaff maintains his fitness throughout the challenge.

Support Diver / Marine scientist

Olivia is a content creator, author, and marine conservationist with a passion for diving, free-diving, and underwater photography. With a background in communications, she shifted her career towards marine conservation, earning a degree in the field. Olivia has worked with a coral conservation organisation and an NGOs focused on managing Marine Protected Areas. Her media experience includes roles as a host and editor for a documentary film company and the Swiss national TV and radio station. She loves to blend her deep connection to the ocean with her communications expertise to tell powerful stories that make complex marine issues clear and engaging for a wide audience.

Technical Support Diver

Donarun, born and brought up in India, is one of the few technical diving instructors and rebreather divers in the country. Graduated as a mechanical engineer, his goals are integrating technology into diving. He is involved in building gas analyzers, apps and solutions for dive centers. He spends his time running one of India's largest dive centers and exploring various cave systems in India. He also dabbles in underwater photography and content creation.