The cave that was trapped underground for more than three days has been freed.
According to a UK newspaper The TimesOttavia Piana was rescued from a cave in Northern Italy at 3 am local time on Wednesday, December 18, after being trapped since Saturday, December 14.
The outlet reports that the 32-year-old was exploring the caves of Bueno Fonteno near Bergamo when he fell five meters after a rock shelf collapsed beneath him.
The fall resulted in further fractures to his ribs, knee and face.
According to the BBC, Italy’s Alpine and Cave Rescue Corps led the rescue operation, including 150 volunteers.
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Ottavia Piana is rescued
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Per The Timesearlier rescuers said on Tuesday that Piana would not be able to reach the top until Wednesday evening.
However, after concerns about his injuries grew, the rescue process was accelerated and the cave was moved to 4km of narrow tunnels.
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Corpo Nazionale Soccorso Alpino e Speleologico
Rescue mission of Ottavia Piana
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In a video shared on X (formerly Twitter) by local news agency TGR Rai Lombardia, rescuers pulled Piana out of the cave while she was tied to a frame.
“The last part was assembled faster than expected due to the removal of obstacles in various parts of the cave and because the doctors decided to avoid taking a long break,” said the Italian alpine rescue service. The Times.
Piana was then taken to hospital by helicopter.
“She is tired, exhausted and in pain… We succeeded,” rescue volunteer Giorgio Pannuzzo, who was with Piana on Saturday at the time of the accident, told Italian media, via the BBC. “There was a strong wind near the gate [to the cave] and if we stopped he would suffer from a severe cold. So we were in a hurry.”
Piana also had to be rescued from those tunnels back in June 2023 after a rock fall broke her leg, The Times. The cave was rescued during a two-day operation.
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