this post was submitted on 23 May 2026

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104

‘If something goes wrong, you can’t simply surface’: Maldives tragedy shines light on dangers of cave diving (www.theguardian.com)

submitted 2 days ago by Valuy@lemmy.zip to c/world@lemmy.world

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[–] The_Terrible_Humbaba@slrpnk.net 7 points 20 hours ago

I hate the discourse and ignorance surrounding this topic, especially having it come from non divers who want to speak with authority.

They were neither qualified, nor had the equipment, to perform the dive safely. The dive itself however is relatively safe, in the context of cave diving.

It's like if a 10 year old got behind the wheel of a car with no seatbelt and went on the highway. It's a death sentence. That does not mean driving on the highway is "deadly dangerous". In the context of driving, going on a highway is perfectly safe.

These people were not qualified. They did not have the proper equipment. Theirs hubris is what killed them. That, and probably peer pressure for the more inexperienced ones in the group. The one who survived is the one who stayed behind - probably because she realized how terrible of a fucking idea ir was and dos not succumb to peer pressure.

The rescue diver himself turned out to also not be qualified for it, nor have the proper equipment. He was a military diver, but that does not mean he knows anything about cave diving. He was also using rec gear, and only had one or two tanks. He died because his superior's pressured him into doing it without the proper equipment and training, instead of waiting for qualified personal. Qualified personal who, btw, volunteered. No one was forcing them to do this, despite what so many seem to think.

[–] Gammelfisch@lemmy.world 3 points 20 hours ago

They denied the crustaceans and fish several good meals. If one is going to participate in cave diving, you're on your own. Scuba diving at 12 meters was enough for me and I'm a decent swimmer.

[–] FollyDolly@lemmy.world 16 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I'm of the opinion that if you cave dive, you forfit body recovery. Your corpse isn't worth the lives to go get it. You made the dumbass decision to go cave diving, you can live with the consequences. Your family can slap a picture of you in coffen if that's what needs to happen. Just stop killing rescue personnel because you thought you were special enough to live.

[–] BabyVi@lemmy.world 5 points 19 hours ago

These caves are tourists attractions, they're not gonna leave bodies in there as a punishment. The truth is that the authorities were at fault for sending in someone unqualified. Cave diving is its own thing regular diving skills are not sufficient.

[–] MonkderVierte@lemmy.zip 5 points 1 day ago (1 children)

There are autonomous miniature subs. Why not send them in?

[–] The_Terrible_Humbaba@slrpnk.net 3 points 20 hours ago

It is not viable for cave exploration, much less body recovery.

Salt water already makes communication hard enough at that depth I think, the rock layers make it harder. The subs also cannot get everywhere a person can. A person can drag themselves through tight holes if needed, the drone cannot. Finally, body retrieval. The bodies are bloated and decomposing in salt water. How would you attach the drone to them, much less get the bodies out of the cave without risking rubbing them on the harsh and shredding rocks of the cave? The way divers do it, is by putting them in a body bag before taking them out.

[–] Macallan@lemmy.world 7 points 1 day ago

As everyone else mentioned, cave diving is dangerous af. I'll never do it.

About half of this channels content is stories about cave diving gone wrong.

Scary Interesting

[–] IrateAnteater@sh.itjust.works 48 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I'm not even a diver and I've heard that cave diving is just about the most dangerous thing a diver can do. Hearing about the death of a cave diver, while tragic, is about as surprising as hearing about the death of people who fly around mountains in those wing suits.

[–] rezifon@lemmy.world 4 points 1 day ago

Agree completely. I don't even think it's valid to call this a "tragedy" insomuch as it's a predictable and unsurprising outcome of cave diving.

[–] itsjustachairmary@lemmy.world 31 points 2 days ago

Everyone knows cave diving is dangerous, especially cave divers

[–] morysal@lemmy.world 23 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Cave diving has always sounded terrifying to me because it combines two human instincts at once: fear of drowning and fear of being trapped. One mistake down there doesn’t leave much room for improvisation.

[–] ReluctantMuskrat@lemmy.world 32 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Don't forget the fear of being blind. One of the ways they often die is accidentally kicking up silt with their flippers. It fills the surrounding water, making it impossible to see and find their way out, and it doesn't settle again until long after their oxygen runs out. And the more you panic, the more you kick up.

[–] Nora@lemmy.dbzer0.com 20 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I did a very tiny small baby cave dive, like... 20–40 feet, straight line. They told us about the silt thing but man... the person in front of me kicked up so much shit, I couldn't see anything. all I knew was that "forward is out" and kept swimming.

I didn't really panic, because I knew it was a baby cave, but man if it was a serious cave? Rip.

Honestly I was mostly just annoyed I couldn't see shit. The most scared I've been underwater goes to night diving.

[–] QuantumHamster@lemmy.world 4 points 1 day ago (1 children)

What made night diving so bad?

[–] Nora@lemmy.dbzer0.com 17 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (2 children)

Its so fucking dark. Good God its just pitch black in every direction and all you have for light is this tiny fuck off flashlight.

I was first into the water and man theres something fucking guts wrenching about tipping over backwards into the abyss. It activates a primal part of your brain that does not want you to be in the water at night. I almost chickened out, I was so shaken.

People did chicken out and I don't blame them.

That being said once youre in the water and everything is "set" it was one of the most incredible experiences in my life. Manta rays in Hawaii attracted to the plankton which are attracted to a giant spotlight in the water (that gets turned on once you swim down to it, making it not so dark.)

That being said emphasis on "scared" because I'm not actually sure it was that dangerous. The baby cave was honestly probably more dangerous, though I think the drift diving I've done might top that.

nothing like the instructor telling you "currents are really strong today, normally we wouldn't take people out, but youre all really experienced divers so if youre comfortable we'll do it."

yeah... red flag of a sentence in retrospect. I'm not sure I want to know how fast the currents were back then but I've never quite felt anything like being thrown around in the ocean like that. At least that was relatively shallow water so surfacing was easy.

[–] pishadoot@sh.itjust.works 4 points 1 day ago

I had about 150 dives under my belt before I ever did my first night dive (I was not an advanced diver by any means but definitely quite comfortable in the water).

It was a shore dive where you kicked out about 30m and then just dropped down at a buoy line, couldn't be easier. I'd done that dive plenty of times in the day, you just follow the rope down to a concrete filled bucket, easy peasy.

Holy shit. As I started to drop and the darkness pooled around me my breathing got REAL quick. Got down to the bottom and I recognized that I was freaking out some so I just chilled for a minute looking around and getting used to my light beam being my entire vision space.

After about two minutes I got thrilled/excited/amazed instead of panicky, and after that it's never been an issue, but it took a deliberate, conscious effort to stow away my lizard brain and force myself to realize that I was not in existential danger.

I LOVE night diving, I'm a night owl anyways so it's all the things I love about the peace and quiet of the night, AND the peace and quiet of diving. It's bliss.

But yeah, that first drop into the blackness... Woo. I'll always remember it just as vividly as my first open water boat dive.

[–] QuantumHamster@lemmy.world 5 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Thanks for the reply, that’s really awesome!

[–] Nora@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 1 day ago

Of course! I love diving so its a fun one to talk about.

If I had my dive log book I could give more details (like the drift current speed) but its at my parents house with all my gear and that's in another state lol.

[–] cmbabul@slrpnk.net 15 points 2 days ago

There is no amount of money someone could pay me to do this even once, even if I survived I would need to spend it all on therapy and making sure I never felt unsafe again

[–] iknownothing@gehirneimer.de 5 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I dived once in a Cenote. I dont think it counts as cave diving, but it was a awsome and truly terryfining experience and i will never do it again.

[–] BabyVi@lemmy.world 2 points 19 hours ago (1 children)

If you couldn't see the light of the entrance its cave diving, otherwise I believe its concidered cavern diving.

[–] iknownothing@gehirneimer.de 1 points 12 hours ago

ah ok, thanks for the information.

Yes, i could see the entrance the whole time. It didnt make it less terrifying though.