Maldives scuba tragedy: How 'sand bank illusion' could have trapped divers
the-independent.com
The Maldives diving tragedy reveals how a perceptual illusion can override expert judgment — and why our brains are hardwired to trust misleading environmental cues in life-or-death moments.
Perceptual IllusionCognitive TunnelingSituational AwarenessBounded Rationality
Theory Briefing
- The 'sand bank illusion' may have tricked divers into thinking shallow safety was near, when deadly open water surrounded them.
- All bodies were recovered a week after the accident, suggesting the group was swept far off course by disorienting conditions.
- Cognitive tunneling theory explains how divers, focused on a false visual anchor, may have fatally misjudged their escape options.