Fisherman found alive after 15 days in flooded Mexican cave

A 31-year-old fisherman missing for 15 days was rescued alive on August 7 from a dry chamber beyond flooded passages in a cenote near San Francisco La Paz, Mexico. Erasto Crisanto Valdez had disappeared while fishing with his father on July 23. When a cave diver reached the chamber and called into the darkness, Valdez answered, overturning expectations of a body-recovery mission.

The search brought together relatives, residents, civil-protection teams, Mexican Navy divers and specialists from several countries. Six days after Valdez vanished, rescuers found his harpoon about 65 metres down. A spare air tank found roughly 100 metres inside the unmapped cave later helped indicate his route. Despite poor visibility and sharp rock, two divers gave him breathing apparatus and guided him through about 100 metres of submerged passage.

Valdez said an air chamber and freshwater flow sustained him; he had no food and spent the time drinking, praying and sleeping in total darkness. He believed only about three days had passed. Rescuers carried him out on a stretcher, and he was treated in hospital for severe dehydration and malnutrition. Later reporting said he had been discharged and reunited with his family.