A dramatic overnight rescue operation ended successfully after a young caver trapped deep inside a cave in northern Italy was brought safely back to the surface.
The incident occurred in the Cinghiali Volanti cave near Garessio, in the province of Cuneo. The approximately 20-year-old explorer became trapped around 120 meters underground when a large rock pinned his leg. Emergency services were alerted on the afternoon of May 31, triggering a large-scale response involving 53 technicians and specialists from Italy’s Alpine and Speleological Rescue Service.
Rescuers first focused on freeing the injured leg before establishing a temporary medical station inside the cave. Doctors assessed the young man's condition and determined that he was stable and capable of assisting in his own evacuation, eliminating the need for a stretcher.
The recovery operation continued throughout the night and concluded at 5:40 a.m., roughly 12 hours after it began. Authorities credited the caver’s ability to cooperate during the ascent with helping to speed up the difficult extraction process.
The rescue also involved the Carabinieri and the Piedmont Region’s helicopter emergency service, which transported personnel and equipment to the remote location. The Cinghiali Volanti cave, discovered in 2007, is part of the Rocca d’Orse karst system and is a well-known destination for scientific exploration and caving expeditions.