Official announcements by Italian authorities or local government

Ottavia Piana Rescued After 75 Hours in Italian Cave, Second Time in 17 Months

Dec 18, 2024, 08:19 AM

Ottavia Piana, a 32-year-old speleologist, was rescued after being trapped for 75 hours in the Bueno Fonteno cave near Bergamo, Italy. Piana fell 5 meters while exploring an uncharted section of the cave on Saturday, resulting in multiple fractures to her face, ribs, and knee. The rescue operation, which involved 159 technicians from 13 Italian regions, began at midnight on Sunday and concluded earlier than anticipated, lasting 80 hours in total. Piana was extracted from the cave at 3:15 a.m. on Wednesday and immediately transported by helicopter to a hospital in Bergamo. This was the second time in 17 months that Piana had to be rescued from the same cave, having previously been trapped for two days after breaking her leg.