This is the moment Ottavia Piana emerged from the cave system that had been her prison for 75 hours. The 32 year old spiliologist, that's a cave scientist, fell at least 13 feet while exploring part of a cave on Saturday. Piana suffered injuries to her ribs, spine, and knee, as well as a facial fracture, trapping her in an uncharted part of the cave. Adding insult to injury, it's actually the second time in the last 2 years that Piana has gotten trapped in that same cave, the Abiso Bueno Fonteno cave network in Northern Italy. The first requiring a rescue that took 40 hours, but this rescue, much more complex.

It was a brand we knew absolutely nothing about, a brand that did not have the usual artificial modifications that would give us an easy way in.

Rescuers using explosive charges to clear obstacles and even devising a communication system to talk to the stranded spelunker as normal radio doesn't work in the cave. Nearly 2 and a half miles from the cave's entrance, they finally reach her, securing her to a stretcher and beginning the harrowing hours long journey back out of the cave. The team working in shifts to carry the stretcher up through the treacherous cave system, stopping every 90 minutes to assess Piana's condition. The whole ordeal captivating the people of Italy, reminiscent of other high profile cave rescues in recent years. It is amazing to be above ground again.

Like the 2023 rescue of American Mark Dickey after he fell ill while spelunking in a deep cave in Turkey. That process, taking 9 days. And who could forget 2018 when 12 players and the coach of a boys' soccer team in Thailand became stuck after the cave they were exploring flooded. The rescue operation, becoming a worldwide sensation, and tragically claiming the life of 1 diver. Back in Italy, awaiting helicopter, airlifting Piana to a nearby hospital where she's being treated for her injuries.

A doctor from the rescue team telling Italian media, while Piana was still trapped, that she plans to abandon cave exploring altogether, saying she speaks very little, but she says she will never enter a cave again. Well, Yasmin, the rescue operation actually went a lot faster than expected, thanks to those explosive charges clearing the way. And Piana herself soldiered through the last leg of that rescue, meaning that they were able to free her a full 12 hours earlier than anticipated. Yasmin?

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