Having them go directly relies on them keeping themselves calm while doing something that makes many adults panic. I'm not expert but I believe one key to successful diving is maintaining your heart rate at a certain pace.
Musk offered to send pumps too IIRC, but I'm not sure they took him up on it.
You'd consume your air much faster if your pulse was racing but other than that it shouldn't be a problem. If you're scared of closed spaces you might panic but other than that diving is a pretty calming experience for most adults. Sure, if you were diving by yourself in that cave and got lost you'd probably panic but if there's a solid plan/route in place with plenty of margin it shouldn't be that risky. Water temperature and depth seem favourable, there are plenty of open areas on the way. I was really surprised to hear about that diver death, someone must have been taking some unnecessary risks or not paying attention/following procedures. I think only a fraction of the route actually requires diving.
Musk offered to send pumps too IIRC, but I'm not sure they took him up on it.