Due to the disorientation of being underwater and with reduced visibility from being deeper in the cave and sediment disturbed by your progress, when you turn around that sand bank can seem like a solid wall, Marroni said.
But, to the left of this illusory sand wall, there was another dead-end corridor of just over 20 meters. This was where the four divers were tragically discovered.
Marroni added: “The divers’ bodies were all found inside, as if they had mistaken it for the right one.”
Videos of the deep cave network, captured in 2014 by Russian diving expert Vladimir Tochilov, reveal a winding warren with a number of twists, turns, and chambers – with very little natural light and a number of features that could disorient you.
Tochilov told CNN: “This cave is accessible only for technical cave divers who have the appropriate preparation, the appropriate experience and who are planning on correctly diving into this cave.”
And losing your sense of direction in such an alien environment is all too easy, even with guide ropes. “Any person, if you try to spin them in the dark and ask to find an exit in a dark room, there will also be difficulties,” Tochilov said.
He also pointed out that the cave itself is unusual, as the Maldives is not a destination for cave divers, but that it is full of unique plant life and fish that could have drawn the group in.
“This is probably why it attracted the attention of divers, including scientists, biologists, and researchers,” he told CNN. “The cave has its own flora and fauna that you will not see outside the cave.”Featured Image Credit: DAN Europe/ Facebook
Expert reveals why cave diving is considered one of the most dangerous activities following Maldives tragedyExpert reveals why cave diving is considered one of the most dangerous activities following Maldives tragedy
