Rescue teams in Northern Italy have successfully extracted Ottavia Piana, a 32-year-old caver, from the Bueno Fonteno cave after an extended subterranean ordeal.
Rescue Efforts Underway for Injured Caver Trapped Underground
Ottavia Piana, a 32-year-old caver, was rescued from a cave in Northern Italy after being trapped for over three days. The rescue operation, led by Italy’s Alpine and Cave Rescue Corps, involved 150 volunteers who worked tirelessly to reach the injured caver.
The Accident and Initial Response
Piana was exploring the Bueno Fonteno cave tracts near Bergamo when she fell five meters after a rock shelf underneath her collapsed. The fall resulted in fractures to her ribs, knee, and face. Initially, rescuers had estimated that Piana wouldn’t be able to reach the surface until Wednesday evening, but concerns over her injuries led to a quickening of the rescue process.
Rescue Efforts
The rescue mission was complex due to the narrow tunnels and obstacles within the cave. However, thanks to the preventive removal of obstacles in various parts of the cave and doctors’ decision to avoid long pauses, the last section was covered faster than expected. In a video shared on X by local media outlet TGR Rai Lombardia, rescuers slid Piana out of the cave while she was strapped to a stretcher.
Piana’s Condition and Aftermath
After being rescued, Piana was taken to the hospital via helicopter. According to rescue volunteer Giorgio Pannuzzo, who was with Piana on Saturday at the time of the accident, “She’s tired, exhausted, and in pain…We have succeeded.” This is not the first time Piana has been trapped in the cave; she had to be rescued from the same tunnels back in June 2023 after a rock fell and broke her leg.
