Diver's worst nightmare: Spaniard spent two days underwater without oxygen

Three months ago, Xisco Gràcia experienced, by his admission, the diver's worst nightmare — he found himself in an underwater cave with empty oxygen cylinders. As the hours slowly turned into days, Gracia began to realize that perhaps he was destined to stay in the cave forever.

On April 15, 54-year-old Gracia, a geology teacher, dived into the waters off the island of Majorca. It was an ordinary, routine dive. Almost all weekend Gracia explored the complex system of underwater caves of the island and made maps. "Majorca is much more beautiful underwater than on land."

(Total of 9 photos)

Source: bbc.news

Gracia and his diving partner Guillem Mascaró wanted to explore the Cova de sa Piqueta Cave, which branches into many halls a kilometer from the entrance to this maze. To get to this place, the divers swam for about an hour.

While Gracia was collecting rock samples, Mascaro swam to the next room to sketch out his plan. Then several unpleasant and, as it turned out, fateful moments happened at once. Divers accidentally collided at the exit, which caused sedimentary rocks to rise from the bottom and it became difficult to see anything.

Then they discovered that the nylon rope, which served as an insurance, either broke or slipped out.

Cisco Gracia with four oxygen cylinders, each of which lasts for an hour.

"The rope is our landmark. We left it at the entrance of the cave, it was also possible to return back," said Gracia. Probably, stones fell on it, and it tore. Divers spent an invaluable hour trying to find the rope by touch, but without success.

Already by that time they were in serious danger. Gracia and Mascaro used up all the air in the cylinders and almost all the reserve provided for emergencies.

Fortunately, Gracia remembered how one of the divers mentioned that there was an air pocket in the next room (the water did not completely flood the room). The men swam there to discuss the possibilities of rescue. They understood that there was only enough air left for one. "We decided that Guillem would sail for help, and I would stay," Gracia said. "He was thinner than me, so he needed less air. In addition, I had more experience of being in underwater caves, where there was an increased level of carbon dioxide."

Underwater caves were formed 60 thousand years ago. The water level in the ocean rose, and the ground caves flooded.

The partners painted an alternative route on the map, longer but less complicated. Without any reference point, Mascaro could simply get lost. "Guillem didn't want to leave me, but we both knew that this was our only chance."

As soon as Mascaro sailed away, Gracia took off all the equipment and explored the cave hall. It turned out to be 80 meters long and 20 meters wide, the air pocket itself (the distance between the ceiling and the water) is 12 meters. The diver discovered that the water on the surface of the lake can be drunk. He also found a large flat rock, climbing on which he was able to rest.

Gracia decided to do without light. Two of the three flashlights were no longer working, the last one was running out of battery. "I only turned it on when I needed to go to the toilet or get fresh water." In total darkness, Gracia had no choice but to wait and hope that he would be rescued.

"I kept asking myself why this happened to me right now, after so many years of diving. For the first seven or eight hours, I was full of hope that Guillem would be able to get out. But the more time passed, the less hope there was. I thought he was lost and dead and no one even knows where I am."

"I have two children, my son is 15 years old, my daughter is nine. They are too young to lose their father. I was worried about what would become of them."

Although Gracia tried to stay calm, he began to experience the effects of the high carbon dioxide content in the air. On the surface, in the air we breathe, the carbon dioxide content is approximately 0.04%, and in the air pocket of the underwater cave, this figure reached 5%. "My head started to ache, I couldn't sleep, although I was exhausted due to lack of oxygen."

Gracia's mind began to deceive her. "It began to seem to me that I could see light, hear bubbles rising and a diver surfacing. But when I turned my head, I couldn't see anything. It was a hallucination."

By the time Gracia lost track of time and it began to seem to him that he had been in the cave for many days, he suddenly heard a loud sound above him. He realized that Mascaro had made it out after all. "At first it seemed to me that I could hear the sound of tanks filling with air. Then I realized that someone was trying to drill through the rock. I was so happy when I realized they were looking for me." But then the sounds stopped, and Gracia was back in the dark.

"I was thinking that I would die from what most divers are afraid of — starvation and suffocation. The battery in the flashlight was almost dead, and I no longer had the strength to go down for drinking water in the dark. I decided to get to the equipment and get a knife. I wanted him with me. In case you have to choose — to die painfully or quickly."

Soon Gracia heard the sounds of bubbles rising again. "I saw a light that was getting brighter and brighter. I thought it was a hallucination again, but then I noticed the diver's head pop up. It was Bernat Clamor, an old friend of mine. I hugged him. He asked me how I was feeling, said he was very afraid that I was already dead."

Mascaro was able to get out and immediately raised the alarm, but all rescue operations were hampered by very poor visibility. Rescuers tried to drill a hole in the rock to lower Gracia food and water, but nothing happened. Finally, when the sediment settled a day later and visibility improved, Klamore and another diver, John Freddy, made their way into the cave.

But the trials for Gracia did not end there. Klamore had to leave him to contact the rescue team, but he left glucose for the diver to recuperate.

"It took eight hours to get me out. But it was a happy eight hours." Gracia was given a breath of air with a higher oxygen content and slowly escorted him to the exit of the cave. On April 17, after 60 hours of diving, Cisco Gracia stepped onto land. Guillem Maskoro was waiting for him. The divers immediately embraced.

Cisco Gracia (right) and the diver who rescued him, Bernat Klamore.

"I was immediately knocked down. The body temperature was 32 degrees, there was a risk of hypothermia. I was taken away by ambulance. They gave me pure oxygen for the night."

Throughout his time underwater, Gracia kept his emotions under control. But the next day, as soon as he saw the report about his rescue on television, he began to cry. However, miraculously, the survivor did not quit diving. A month later, he returned to the ill-fated cave of the Cova de sa Piquet and even visited the hall where he spent more than two days.

Footage of the rescue operation — Gracia was finally lifted onto dry land.

"I don't hold a grudge, the cave is not to blame for anything." The diver will continue his research and drawing up a plan for the underwater heritage of Mallorca. "My kids don't like diving, but they don't ask to give it up. I have been doing underwater research for 24 years. It's in my blood."