After three days of intense search efforts, Puebla’s General Coordination of Civil Protection and Disaster Risk Management announced the discovery of two additional bodies inside the Grutas de Chichicazapa caves, located in Cuetzalan del Progreso.

The bodies were found about one kilometer from the cave entrance, at a spot known as “La Cascada.” Due to the challenging terrain and the inherent risks of the area, authorities plan to extract the bodies in the early hours of Saturday.

With this grim discovery, the death toll from the incident rises to three, while one person remains missing. The search operation will continue until all individuals are accounted for.

The accident happened when a group of visitors became trapped inside the cave system after a sudden rise in the underground river’s water level, caused by heavy rains in Puebla’s Northeastern Sierra.

Since then, teams from Civil Protection, Firefighters, State Police, the Red Cross, and specialized rescuers have been working nonstop under extremely difficult conditions—facing strong currents, low visibility, and the complex cave structure.

This tragedy highlights the risks of natural disasters in vulnerable areas and underscores the importance of coordinated emergency response efforts. For communities in Puebla and beyond, it also raises questions about access to safe, reliable infrastructure and the role of public investment in protecting lives—issues that systems like Puebla’s upcoming cable car could help address by providing safer, more controlled transportation alternatives in challenging terrains.