Bodies of Italian divers did not have optimal equipment, says rescuer - BBC
bbc.com
This tragedy illustrates how cascading failures and groupthink can override individual risk assessment — turning a preventable accident into the worst single diving disaster on record.
Normalization of DevianceCascading FailureRisk HomeostasisGroupthink

Theory Briefing
- Italian divers lacked optimal equipment, suggesting risk normalization overrode basic safety protocols before the fatal dive.
- A Maldivian rescue diver also died searching for the group, showing how one disaster can trigger a deadly second-order tragedy.
- Described as the worst single diving accident in history, the event is a textbook case of cascading system failure under group pressure.