In brief
Ottavia Piana, a 32-year-old experienced speleologist, was airlifted to a hospital after sustaining severe injuries from a 16-19 foot fall while exploring a cave. The extensive rescue effort lasted 75 hours, overcoming numerous obstacles in challenging conditions.
Caver Ottavia Piana, aged 32, has been airlifted to a hospital after an extensive and meticulous rescue operation deep underground in the Abisso Bueno Fonteno cave system located in northern Italy. Her ordeal began on Saturday afternoon while she was exploring an uncharted section of the cave, when a rock gave way, causing her to plummet 5-6 meters (16-19 feet) and suffer significant injuries including damage to her vertebrae, ribs, face, and knee.A dedicated team of over 150 rescuers, led by Italy's Alpine and cave rescue corps, worked tirelessly on the operation, which concluded with her stretcher being brought out early Wednesday morning around 03:00 local time (02:00 GMT). Piana is known for her experience in speleology, and notably, this marked the second time she required rescue from this particular cave within a span of 17 months.Rescue volunteer Giorgio Pannuzzo, who was by Piana's side during her fall, described her condition, stating, "She's tired, exhausted and in pain... We have succeeded." He highlighted the urgency of the situation, noting that a freezing wind by the cave entrance posed additional risks, making haste essential for her safety.At the time of her accident, Piana was engaged in a project aimed at mapping an unfamiliar segment of the Abisso Bueno Fonteno cave system, which is surrounded by a network of tunnels and caves between Lake Iseo and Lake Endine, many of which remain unexplored. The rescue mission faced a challenging race against time due to Piana's injuries and the numerous barriers encountered along the way. Rescuers took turns carrying her stretcher and clearing blockages.Navigating through narrow tunnels, the team sometimes resorted to using small explosive charges to facilitate the rescue. Overall, the CNSAS Alpine rescue service reported that the operation involved 159 volunteers from 13 different Italian regions. Piana was under constant monitoring from a team of six doctors and eight nurses throughout the entire 75-hour effort. During the rescue, Piana expressed her reluctance to ever return to the cave again.
