by Alessandra Ressa
The subterranean depths of Bueno Fonteno in Italy’s Bergamo province have become the site of a high-stakes rescue operation, with over 100 expert cavers from across the nation—including several from Trieste—working tirelessly to save 32-year-old Ottavia Piana. Piana, an experienced caver from Lovere, has been trapped at a depth of 600 meters since Saturday after falling over five meters during an exploratory mission. The accident, which left her with multiple fractures to her legs and face, occurred approximately four kilometers from the cave’s entrance, presenting formidable challenges to the rescue team.
After seven grueling hours, the first medical team reached Piana, finding her alert but in critical condition. “She is stable and in excellent spirits,” said Corrado Camerini, a doctor and delegate for the Alpine and Speleo Rescue Corps of Lombardy. Rescue operations, hindered by narrow passages that often require explosives to widen, have progressed at an average of 50 meters per hour. Rescuers hope to extricate Piana by Wednesday night, but the unpredictable nature of the terrain makes timelines uncertain.
Bueno Fonteno, a labyrinthine cave system stretching tens of kilometers, is both treacherous and captivating for caving enthusiasts. Piana, who has extensive knowledge of the abyss, was part of a team mapping its uncharted regions when the rocky roof beneath her collapsed. Fellow explorer Giorgio Panuzzo, who spent the first night with Piana after the accident, described her as “well-prepared and extremely cautious.” Despite this, he acknowledged the extraordinary misfortune of her having faced a similar accident in the same karst system 18 months ago, which left her with a broken leg after a 40-hour rescue.
“The beauty of caving is going where no one has ever been,” Panuzzo reflected. “You enter and disconnect from everything.”
Among the rescuers are seasoned cavers from Trieste, members of the Friuli Venezia Giulia Alpine and Speleological Rescue Corps. Their expertise in navigating challenging karst terrain has been crucial in the operation, which involves a complex interplay of ropes, carabiners, and harnesses in a humid, unstable environment.
While Italy’s speleological community rallies behind Piana, the public response has been polarized. Social media platforms have seen a surge of misogynistic attacks targeting the young caver, with comments such as, “She’s asking for it,” and “She should’ve stayed in the kitchen where she belongs.” Critics have also questioned the financial cost of the rescue effort, prompting Sergio Orsini, president of the Italian Speleological Society, to defend Piana’s work.
“The research conducted by Piana and her team is not merely a sporting endeavor but a vital contribution to mapping underground systems and analyzing essential resources like water,” Orsini emphasized.
Despite her resilience and commitment to exploration, Piana’s ordeal appears to have marked the end of her caving career. According to those close to her, she has expressed a desire to bid farewell to the activity she once cherished.
As the rescue operation continues, Italy’s speleological community—and the nation as a whole—remains focused on bringing Piana safely to the surface, a testament to human determination and the enduring allure of the unknown.
