Mexico fisherman rescued alive after 15 days in underwater cave

Erasto Crisanto Valdez, a 31-year-old Mexican fisherman, has been rescued alive after spending 15 days trapped inside a flooded underwater cave system. Valdez disappeared on July 23 while fishing with his father in a cenote near San Francisco La Paz, in the region near the Veracruz and Oaxaca borders.

Rescuers initially believed the mission was a recovery operation for a deceased person. However, an international team of divers and explorers from Mexico, the United States, Germany, and the Dominican Republic located Valdez in an air pocket more than 100 meters below the surface. The discovery followed the earlier finding of his fishing harpoon at a depth of approximately 65 meters.

Valdez was found in a dry section of the cave where he could breathe, despite facing extreme cold, humidity, and total darkness without food. He was suffering from severe dehydration and malnutrition and was transported to a hospital in Uxpanapa for treatment. He has since returned home to his family.