Ottavia Piana, a 32-year-old speleologist, has been rescued from the depths of the Abisso Bueno Fonteno cave in Bergamo after a harrowing 75-hour ordeal. Piana had been trapped since Saturday afternoon, December 15, following a fall into an unexplored section of the cave. Rescuers successfully brought her to the surface at 2:59 AM, where she was airlifted to Bergamo Hospital for medical evaluation. Initial reports indicated she suffered facial and knee fractures, as well as spinal and rib injuries.
The complex rescue operation involved 159 technicians from the National Alpine and Speleological Rescue Corps (Cnsas) across 13 regions, who faced challenging conditions including humidity, mud, and the constant risk of cave collapses. The operation commenced on Saturday evening when friends of Piana raised the alarm, informing authorities that she had sustained injuries approximately 800 meters into a narrow and unstable passage, four hours from the cave’s entrance. As rescuers established a base camp and navigated the treacherous terrain, they utilized small explosives to widen a narrow section, facilitating Piana’s extraction.
After a difficult Monday that tested the limits of both the rescuers and the injured speleologist, they finally reached familiar ground known as the “Middle Earth” at a depth of 180 meters. Communication with Piana, who expressed her intention to avoid caves in the future, was maintained through a telephone line set up by rescuers. By early Tuesday morning, Piana was stabilized and safely extracted from the cave, marking a successful end to an operation that highlighted the dedication and skill of the rescue teams involved. The Cnsas expressed gratitude to various local organizations for their support throughout the mission.
