A DIVER was miraculously rescued after five days trapped in an underwater cave.
Wang, from Hunan province in central China, was pulled from the water seemingly unscathed but had one very specific request.
Buried nine metres below the surface, the 40-year-old diving enthusiast lived off a diet of raw fish before he was astonishingly rescued.
He survived thanks to an air pocket that allowed him to breathe in the water.
His first words to his rescuers were: “Do you have a cigarette?”
He was reported missing just five minutes after diving into the river with a friend, where he became ensnared in the intricate network of underwater caves.
Authorities promptly initiated a search operation with assistance from the Xiangxi Shuguans Rescue team and special police forces, according to the South China Morning Post.
A specialist team carried out two initial deep dives when they heard what sounded like someone knocking on the rocks.
They switched off the boat engines to get a better listen but the sound didn’t return.
On the third dive, rescuers spotted Wang, whose oxygen levels had plummeted to just four percent by then, as he paddled in the water, signaling with his flashlight.
Tian Yanglin, the captain of the rescue team, said “that moment was his last chance.”
Wang didn’t sustain any injuries and even walked to the ambulance.
His story has sparked widespread discussion online with many calling his rescue a “miracle”.
Someone remarked, “Nine meters underwater, pitch black, survived for five days. Unbelievable. A true miracle. His mind did not collapse. What incredible willpower!”
“To survive five days and still be in good condition, he is not just lucky, he is superhuman,” said another.
While a third asked: “It must have been pitch black in that cave. I am really wondering, how did he manage to catch fish?”
This isn’t the first time a diver has been rescued alive from perilous waters.
In 2016, a terrified scuba diver was found after being lost at sea for more than 14 hours in shark-infested waters.
Incredible footage showed the 68-year-old being tossed around in the waves off the coast of Australia before he is winched to safety.
He had been exploring wreck of the SS Yongala alone in the Coral Sea before he failed to return.
The diver was eventually found by a search helicopter off the coast of Queensland more than 30 miles away from the shipwreck.
