This looks more like an oversight by someone, though if a cowling is unlatched the latches tend to hang down so should be obvious on a walk round.
If I've understood things correctly, the whole point is that the latches don't hang down? At least they didn't in the previous incident, so may have modified since. Whether they hang down or not, doesn't justify not double checking if the cowling is securely closed. IMO only, of course.