A tourist has died and three others are missing after a family became trapped in a cave in Mexico due to flash floods caused by sudden heavy rain. The Peña family from Chignautla in Puebla State was on a sightseeing tour as part of a birthday celebration when the tragedy occurred.
Family trapped in Chichicazapan cave
Six family members and a guide were trapped inside the subterranean river of the Chichicazapan cave in Cuetzalan on Tuesday afternoon. Intense rainfall caused the underground river to surge rapidly. The guide suggested sheltering inside the cave to avoid getting wet, but rising waters and strong currents swept the group deeper into the cave system, making escape impossible.
Three people—Araceli Antonio Peña, Agustín Julián (boyfriend of one of the daughters), and the guide—managed to fight the current and reach safety on the first day. On Wednesday, search teams recovered the body of Gerardo Julián de los Santos, aged 31 and brother of Agustín, who had drowned.
Three still missing
The three people still missing are Ismael Peña, Araceli’s husband, and their daughters Karime Peña, 24, and Jazmín Lizbeth Peña, 21. Araceli, 40, wife and mother of the missing, said: “We went in when it had only just started raining. The guide told us to go further inside so we wouldn’t get wet. We never thought the cave would flood.”
The guide, employed by the firm Destino de Aventura, was hospitalised overnight before being discharged. Ongoing search efforts involving eight specialist teams—including divers, rappellers, and speleologists—have been repeatedly suspended because of ongoing rain and safety risks to rescuers.
Rescue efforts hampered by weather
Cuetzalan, located in the humid Sierra Norte highlands, is notorious for frequent heavy rainfall that can quickly swell subterranean waterways. Authorities have stressed that operations will resume only during safe weather windows. According to reports, the tourists received only basic equipment such as life jackets, helmets, and lamps, with no ropes or advanced safety gear.
The family travelled to celebrate their youngest daughter’s 21st birthday and to fulfil her wish to visit the caves.
