Two explorers rescued after missing for over 69 hours in underwater karst caves

Two Chinese scientific researchers were successfully rescued recently from underwater karst caves in South China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region after being missing for 69 hours. According to media reports, this was China's first successful cave diving rescue. 

With abundant karst cave resources, Baise city in Guangxi has attracted many scientific researchers for exploration. However, some karst caves pose significant risks due to their complex terrain and hidden dangers. 

Five researchers from a cave aquatic biology team explored into the caves in Huowang River in Baise for a scientific expedition on February 5. During the exploration, five dived into underwater caves, however, with two members losing contact by 7 pm, according to media reports. 

After a 69-hour joint rescue operation, multiple local agencies, including public security, emergency rescue teams, firefighters, and the diving association, successfully rescued the two missing explorers on February 8. 

Due to the high risks and complex environment, successful cave diving rescues are extremely rare. Survival rates drop significantly for missing cave divers who remain uncontacted for over 60 hours. 

Challenging terrain, low visibility, and confined spaces are common challenges in cave diving rescues. During this rescue operation, the spacious cave chamber with a water depth exceeding 15 meters forced rescuers to search extensively in multiple directions. Rescuers used five 200-meter reels to lay guide lines from the cave entrance into the water.

After four hours of searching, rescuers found one of the missing explorers in an air pocket within the cave at a depth of 16 meters, approximately 300 meters away from the rescue team’s starting point. He was brought out of the cave 90 minutes later. 

The cave’s underwater passages are winding and maze-like, featuring cliffs, faults, and stalactites. With no auxiliary lighting, rescuers relied solely on their own light sources to search within a visibility range of approximately three meters. 

Around 6:50 pm on February 8, more than 60 hours later, rescuers discovered the second missing explorer, surnamed Zhou, in another air pocket 28 meters underwater and 500 meters away from the team’s starting point after searching more than 10 underwater air pockets. 

When Zhou was rescued at around 8:30 pm on February 8, he had spent days in a dark, confined space without food and was extremely weak. He was taken to a local hospital for observation, where doctors confirmed his vital signs were stable. 

Rescuers warned that getting lost is a major risk of cave exploration or scientific expeditions. Caves’ intricate internal structures make rescues extremely challenging. Proper preparation, including sufficient food and communication tools, is essential before entering caves. Explorers should also have extensive outdoor survival experience.