A 31-year-old man was rescued alive from a cave on the Italian island of Sardinia after being trapped about 10 meters underground for 26 hours due to a rockslide.
In an extensive and intricate rescue operation, emergency teams worked continuously after Luca Olmetto became trapped in the Gorroppeddu cave within the rugged Urzulei mountain range in central-eastern Sardinia on a Sunday afternoon. Olmetto was exploring the cave with his girlfriend, who narrowly avoided the collapse that completely sealed the entrance. She managed to escape safely and promptly alerted authorities.
Rescuers reached Olmetto, who remained conscious and responsive, by late Monday afternoon. They manually cleared rubble and earth obstructing a narrow passage and then carefully removed the debris covering him before extracting him from the cavity. According to reports, Olmetto was brought to the surface shortly after 6 PM CET, where medical staff stabilized him before airlifting him to a hospital.
The rescue operation involved approximately 48 experts from Sardinia’s Alpine and Speleological Rescue Corps, 30 firefighters, and civil protection staff. A helicopter provided necessary materials and equipment to secure the site.
The council of Codrongianos, the town in north-west Sardinia where Olmetto hails from, expressed that the past 24 hours were filled with “great anxiety for the entire community.” “We are closely monitoring the situation and are hoping for good news soon,” the council said. “Our thoughts are with Luca and his family, and we extend our deepest gratitude to all the rescuers working tirelessly to bring him to safety. Hang in there, Luca – all of Codrongianos is with you.”
The Gorroppeddu cave is a largely unexplored natural cavity.
In a similar incident in December 2024, another explorer, Ottavia Piana, aged 32, became trapped while exploring the Bueno Fonteno caves near Bergamo in northern Italy. She remained underground for about 75 hours at a depth of roughly 600 meters before being freed. Piana suffered injuries, including fractured vertebrae, ribs, and facial bones. Her rescue involved 160 specialists.
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