A 53-year-old man died while rescuers were taking him out of a deep makeshift tunnel in Central Greece late on Tuesday. He was a member of a group of treasure hunters.
The man got trapped in the 20-meter deep tunnel, when he and another three to four people had entered the tunnel they had dug probably in search of golden coins.
At some point, the men reportedly felt dizzy and discomfort apparently due to oxygen shortage. The three rushed outside, while the 53-year-old fell even deeper.
A 77-year old managed to call emergency services, while the two fled the scene. He was taken to a hospital in Larissa.
Firefighters and rescuers launched a big operation to pull out the man, who remained trapped for hours in an improvised opening approximately 25 meters long.
When rescuers reached him, they provided him with oxygen, performed CPR and also used a defibrillator. However, it was not possible to keep him alive.
Rescuers initially maintained contact with him, but his condition deteriorated rapidly during the final stage of the extraction, the Fire Service said in a statement.
Ολοκληρώθηκε η επιχείρηση ανάσυρσης άνδρα από το σπήλαιο στη Δ.Ε. Γόννων Λάρισας και παρελήφθη χωρίς τις αισθήσεις του από ασθενοφόρο του Ε.Κ.Α.Β..
Σχετικό δελτίο τύπου: https://t.co/aDBfeR3Jx9— Πυροσβεστικό Σώμα (@pyrosvestiki) September 30, 2025
Twenty-seven firefighters from Larissa and specialized emergency units in Thessaloniki and Larissa took part in the rescue operation, which lasted some 12 hours and concluded shortly after midnight.
The cause of the incident as well as the purpose of the construction are under investigation. The 77-year-old man was detained by police after he received first aid in the hospital as he was involved in an illegal treasure hunting, local media reported. Three of the men were from Volos, Almyros and one village of the area.
Residents of the nearby settlements told media that the group of men was seen in the area for quite some time, and they used to greet the locals.
Treasure hunting is a common phenomenon in Greece and it sometimes indeed ends fatal. In 2020 the bodies of three men were found in a well in the North of Athens. And if I’m not wrong, there was also a similar incident near Loutraki, in western Attica.
