Rescuers race to free 31-year-old caver trapped 10 metres underground in Sardinia
Rescuers have cleared the entrance of the Gorropeddu cave and reached the narrow passage where a 31-year-old caver has been stuck since a rockslide on 11 October. He is reported alive and conscious.
Rockslide traps caver underground
On 11 October, a rockslide blocked the entrance to the Gorropeddu cave in Urzulei, in the Ogliastra area of Sardinia, trapping a 31-year-old caver from the Sassari area at a depth of about 10 metres. The caver was exploring the cave when the rockfall caught him by surprise, and other tourists in the area alerted the emergency services. His girlfriend, who was with him, got out safely while he remained stuck. Rescue work began on the afternoon of 11 October and continued through the night.
- Rockslide blocks the cave entrance and traps the caver about 10 metres down
- Rescue operation begins at the cave
- Rescue work continues through the night
- Rescuers clear the entrance, stabilise the walls and reach the narrow passage
Clearing a confined passage
By the morning of 12 October, rescuers had cleared the cave entrance and stabilised the access walls to prevent further collapses. They then reached the narrow passage where the caver had been trapped for 20 hours, according to ANSA's report, beneath debris from the rockfall. The work area measures about 1.5 by 1.5 metres, and the unstable rock forces crews to remove material by hand and install retaining boards to keep the walls from giving way.
ANSA reports 48 members of the Sardinia Alpine and Speleological Rescue Corps and 30 firefighters trained in USAR-M, SAF and TAS operations on site, supported by the Dorgali Civil Protection. N-tv reports more than 30 rescue workers operating with firefighters, so the on-site numbers differ between the two reports. Alpine rescue specialists from central Italy were flown in by helicopter because of their experience in clearing this type of obstruction.
Contact and condition
Rescuers have been able to speak with the caver, and ANSA, Rai and Tgcom24 all report that he is alive and conscious. Rai said rescuers could hear his voice from 10 metres down, and TVN24 reported that firefighters had established verbal contact with him. N-tv reports that nothing is yet known about his exact condition or any injuries. La Repubblica noted that rescues of this kind can take several hours, and sometimes days, given how difficult the site is to reach.
What happens next
A helicopter carrying additional materials and equipment was expected to arrive shortly so that crews could secure the site. Rescuers are working to remove the earth and stones pinning the caver down, while the rock remains highly unstable. Rescue teams said they would keep working through the removal of the material blocking the passage.
