15 Days Trapped in an Underwater Cave Without Food and Rescued Alive, ‘I Kept My Faith in God’
One man's miraculous survival after experiencing what some might call their worst nightmare.
Erasto Crisanto Valdez went missing while he and his father were fishing in San Francisco La Paz, Mexico, at the end of July 2026. Fifteen days later, in early August, he was rescued. As for where he’d been, it turned out that the 31-year-old had gotten trapped in an underwater cave after exploring the cenote he had been fishing in.
According to People, the Municipal Government of Uxpanapa (MGU) announced that after an extensive 15-day search, Valdez had been located “more than 100 meters (328 feet) deep inside a cave” in the area where he had initially disappeared. In a video shared by the government, Valdez can be seen being taken away on a stretcher as a group of people surrounds him.
The MGU also detailed how the Secretariat of the Navy-Military of Mexico, Mexico’s Civil Protection, and the Secretariat of Public Security collaborated on the rescue. Luckily, the results were much more positive than a similar rescue attempt earlier this year to locate two U.S. soldiers in Morocco who went off the side of a cliff while there for military training.
Surviving against all odds
It stated, per People, “The rescue operations involved an unprecedented deployment on land, river, and air, guided by the firm conviction of not giving up until finding him. This historic achievement is the result of the close collaboration and joint effort of the three levels of government and high-level specialists.”
Valdez shared his story of survival after his rescue — an incredible rescue not unlike that of two tourists trapped on an ice floe in the Gulf of Bothnia earlier this year — in an interview posted on Facebook. In it, he can be seen in a hospital bed as he detailed how he was able to survive due to drinkable water and an air chamber in the cave.
Speaking to how he ended up in the cave, he said, according to People, “I went inside … and then, when I turned back, I couldn’t find the exit […] I was just swimming aimlessly, trying to get out, but there was no way out […] I don’t know how I got there […] I never imagined there was an air chamber there.”
According to Valdez, time passed differently in the cave, as he explained that his 15-day stay there felt like a mere 3 days. It was almost pitch black in the cave, which meant he couldn’t tell day from night, which might have contributed to the loss of time. He stated that a spring ran through the air chamber, which allowed him to have some fresh water when he was thirsty or hungry. He added, “I kept my faith in God … to help me survive.”
The rescue team immediately transported Valdez to a nearby hospital. There he remains under care due to the extreme dehydration he suffered from the lack of enough water and the total lack of food. How long he might need to stay under medical care is up for debate, as is how long it might take to recover fully.
However, according to People, a statement from the MGU explained, “Regarding his medical condition, it is reported that his health status will remain under strict reserve until the specialists and medical team that treats him determine what is appropriate.”
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