Official statements from the hospital or Ottavia Piana's medical team

Ottavia Piana Rescued at 3:15 AM After 75-Hour Ordeal in Bueno Fonteno Cave, Airlifted to Bergamo with Multiple Fractures

Dec 18, 2024, 06:41 AM

Ottavia Piana, a 32-year-old speleologist, was rescued after being trapped for 75 hours in the Bueno Fonteno cave in northern Italy. She fell while exploring the cave on Saturday afternoon and was immobilized on a stretcher during the rescue operation. The rescue team, consisting of 159 technicians from the National Alpine and Speleological Rescue Corps, successfully brought her to the surface at 3:15 AM on December 18. Piana was then airlifted to a hospital in Bergamo for treatment of multiple fractures. The operation involved navigating a difficult passage to reach her, and rescuers reported that she was exhausted but aware of their approach. This incident marks a repeat of a similar rescue, as Piana had previously been trapped in the same cave system last year.