Noin the darkness ofBueno Fonteno Abyssa karst maze between Lake Iseo and Lake Idro, Ottavia Piana fights tenaciously. The 32-year-old caver stayed trapped at 585 meters deep after a fall on Saturday afternoon. Despite the leg and chest fracturesfound the strength to reassure the rescuers: “Tell my boyfriend that I’m fine.” A message that gives hope, while Alpine and speleological rescue works tirelessly to bring it back to the surface. For her it is, unfortunately, a deja vu.
The new accident, the speleologist trapped again
Ottavia Piana is no stranger to extreme situations. Instructor of the CAI of Lovere and secretary in the family business in Adro (Brescia), she is described as “expert” and “prudent”. Ironically, right in the Bueno Fonteno Abyss it had already fallen in July 2023remaining trapped for 48 hours. So she had come out with some wounds and bruises and the idea of return to explore that enormous underground labyrinth still largely unexplored.
This time, however, the situation is more serious. Having left with a group of ten speleologists to map new tunnels, Ottavia is slipped into a tunnelmaking a massive rescue operation necessary. Only at 9.30pm on Saturday did the companions raise the alarm after re-emerging. The rescuers took almost four hours to reach her and stabilize her: she is now conscious and cooperative, assisted by a doctor and a nurse who brought food, medicines and a device to warm her.
A complex operation between tunnels and humidity
The conditions of the cave they make rescue an engineering feat. Three teams of «destructors» work with drills and hammers to widen a meander of 100 metres, the only way to move the stretcher. There constant temperature of 8 degrees and high humidity further complicate operations, but there is no lack of optimism among rescuers. Mauro Guiducci, national vice-president of Alpine Rescue, reassures the Corriere della Sera: «By Tuesday they might arrive good news».
At base camp, i parents of Ottavia follow every update, as confident as the rescuers who are there giving your best to bring the young woman back to the surface. The humanity and experience of the team represent the best hope in this race against time.
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