A routine cave exploration in Italy’s Ligurian Alps turned into a life-or-death rescue when a 63-year-old speleologist was struck by a falling rock inside Abisso Paperino, better known as Donald Duck’s Cave. Trapped 40 meters underground with a serious head injury, he faced a long night beneath the mountain while more than 50 elite cave rescuers from across Italy raced against time.
To reach him, rescue teams widened narrow passages with controlled explosives, navigated vertical shafts, installed underground communications, and transported him through one of the province’s deepest cave systems. This is the true story of one of Italy’s most remarkable cave rescues in 2025.