A Rescue That Seemed Impossible
Mexican fisherman Erasto Crisanto Valdez, 31, has become the protagonist of one of the most astonishing survival stories of the year. He disappeared on July 23, 2026, while fishing with his father in a cenote in San Francisco La Paz, on the border between the states of Veracruz and Oaxaca. After 15 days of searching, rescue teams found him alive, trapped in a cavity with an air pocket more than 100 meters below the surface.
A cenote is a natural sinkhole of karst origin, formed by the chemical dissolution of limestone or the collapse of underground cave ceilings. These bodies of water are typical of the Yucatán Peninsula and other regions of Mexico, often connected to extensive submerged cave systems.
The Disappearance
Erasto had arrived at the cenote with his father to fish. At one point, he took a spearfishing shot at a snook, but the fish escaped. He decided to enter the cenote to chase it and, when trying to return, couldn't find the exit. “I was in shock for not finding the way out. It was a lapse of time that cut off, as if time had stopped”, he later recounted, according to Milenio.
His father waited outside for hours and, seeing he didn't emerge, went for help. The alert reached the municipal government of Uxpanapa around 7:10 PM that same day.
The Race Against Time
Family, neighbors, and municipal, state, and federal authorities joined the efforts. On July 26, 72 hours after the disappearance, a formal report was filed with the Veracruz State Attorney General's Office. Divers from the Mexican Navy (Semar) and specialists from countries like Germany, the United States, and the Dominican Republic participated.
On July 30, a diving operation conducted a meticulous sweep down to 120 meters deep, but found no trace. Even so, authorities kept the search active.
The Miraculous Discovery
On Friday, August 7, shortly after 1 PM, the municipal president of Uxpanapa, Martín Alberto Aguilar Cuéllar, confirmed the news the family had been waiting for: Erasto had been found alive. It was foreign diver Harry Gust who located him in a large dry cave with a small one-meter-wide river, within the cave system associated with the cenote.
Mexican explorer Carlos Jiménez, part of the rescue team, described the find as a “miracle”: “God had other plans” for the man who survived.
How Did He Survive 15 Days Without Food?
Erasto was trapped in an air chamber inside the cavern, a space with enough oxygen to breathe. Although he ate nothing during that entire time, he did drink water from the cenote, according to the Diario de Xalapa.
“It was all dark and I couldn't see anything, so I didn't eat anything in there. I would fall asleep and preferred to keep my eyes closed, you only hear the water, I didn't know if it was day or night”, Erasto said.
The lack of light made him lose all sense of time. His only tool was prayer: “I had nothing else but to pray to God”.
Recovery and Return Home
He was taken to La Laguna Hospital with severe dehydration and malnutrition. On August 10, the municipal government reported he remained hospitalized but was improving. Shortly after, Erasto returned to his hometown, Uxpanapa, where he was welcomed with a big celebration by family and neighbors.
“Thank you, God, for giving me another chance at life and allowing me to see my children and my family again”, the fisherman expressed, according to NMás.
No Fine or Legal Action
After the case went viral, rumors circulated about a possible economic sanction against Erasto. The Uxpanapa City Council issued a statement on August 14 clarifying that there is no fine or legal proceeding against him. Authorities remain in communication with the municipality of Santa María Chimalapa, Oaxaca, and with the municipal agent of San Francisco La Paz, who confirmed no legal actions are underway.
The municipal government assured it will continue to support the fisherman and asked the media to avoid spreading unconfirmed information that could worry his family.