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Bodies of four Italian divers found in Maldives underwater cave - MSN

msn.com

Four divers dead in a Maldives cave exposes how overconfidence and the "it won't happen to me" bias can turn even experienced adventurers into victims of predictable risk.

Optimism BiasRisk Homeostasis TheoryDunning-Kruger Effect

Theory Briefing

  • Four Italian divers' bodies were recovered from a Maldives underwater cave four days after they went missing during a dive.
  • Cave diving is one of the world's most dangerous activities, where disorientation and gas depletion can turn exploration fatal within minutes.
  • Optimism bias leads even skilled divers to underestimate cave-specific hazards, a pattern seen repeatedly in high-profile underwater tragedies.