Slovenia’s rescuers successfully removed five people from a cave. High water levels had trapped them there for more than two days. The liberated group is in good spirits, according to Igor Benko, head of the Speleological (caving) Association of Slovenia.
Slovenia is known for its caves—more than 14,000 of them! Krizna Jama, where the group was trapped, is a large ecosystem with many plant and animal species. The five-mile cave system has a string of emerald-colored underground lakes, accessible only by boat and raft and with a guide.
The group got stuck in the Krizna Jama cave on Saturday. Heavy rainfall and rising waters caused their entrapment.
On Monday, water levels had receded enough inside the southwestern Slovenian cave to make a rescue possible.
“It is a day of happiness; it’s a day of life,” says Sandi Curk of the Slovenian civil protection service.
Before the rescue, diving team members said everyone in the group was faring well. Divers brought in a heated tent, food, and clothes over the weekend.
Rescuers found the five cavers in a dry area about one mile inside the cave. A six-member team of divers carried out the hours-long rescue operation. Rescuers brought the group out in a small boat. The water temperature inside the cave was a chilly 42° Fahrenheit, and the group couldn’t see well in the darkness.
No one in the cave needed medical help. All endured the ordeal well, according to doctor Zlatko Pogorilić.
God in His wisdom and providence allowed for the successful rescue. After all, “He works all things according to the counsel of His will.” (Ephesians 1:11) Sadly, Pogorilić credits only “luck” for the happy ending.
The family of three adults and their two guides all hail from Slovenia. They didn’t appear at Monday’s news conference about the rescue.
If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me. — Psalm 139:9-10
