The man who was rescued yesterday afternoon from a water-filled cave/well in Pembroke said today that his ordeal saw him praying for the first time since childhood, and he would keep a promise to St Anthony to go to Mass once a week.

Natale Fenech, 66 of Sliema, was dramatically rescued by the police early yesterday afternoon after spending 22 hours in a dark underground cave up to his chin in water.

Mr Fenech, who lives alone in Sliema, said that when he took his dogs for their usual walk on Friday afternoon, he forgot his mobile phone at home.

He often goes for walks in Pembroke near the reverse osmosis plant because his dogs  Fido il-Furjaniz and Kikka L-Ghawdxija can roam freely. He acquired the dogs from the SPCA in Floriana and Gozo respectively, hence their names.

On Friday, at about 5p.m., Fido was chasing a rat when he suddenly disappeared. Kikka indicated where he was.

The partially-covered hole where Mr Fenech fell on Friday at about 5 p.m.

Mr Fenech said he reached down a hole where Fido had fallen, but could not reach him. He leaned further forward and fell in.

He found himself swimming in a cave/well about the size of a small room. The water was so deep, he could not reach, but he managed to stand on a ledge on one side of the structure.

The top of the cave was only a metre or so above him, just a bit too far for him to haul himself up, although he bruised himself trying to.

He became hoarse shouting for help but to no avail, and as it grew dark, he feared he may die.

At one point during the night he could feel a rat on his head. He could also hear other rats in the water.

At dawn yesterday, he fell off the ledge and could not find it again for some time until some light slipped in and he remembered that the ledge was close to where the light was the previous evening.

Mr Fenech said that the last time he had prayed was when he was a child, but he prayed as the hours went by in the cave. He prayed to St Anthony, who, he said, was his favourite saint when he was a child. He also promised he would go to Mass once a week if somebody got him out of there.

He had practically resigned himself when yesterday afternoon (at about 2p.m.) he heard a Briton calling. He shouted back, pleading for help. The Briton said he lived nearby and would fetch help, and he did so quickly.

Such was the depth of the well that the first ladder that was lowered down disappeared into the water and mud.

But Mr Fenech, cold and drowsy, was eventually hauled up, still clutching Fido. Kikka was there as well, having stood at the mouth of the cave throughout. It was her barking which drew the Briton's attention to his predicament.    

Mr Fenech said that in hospital he was treated ‘like royalty’. He could not stop shivering and was treated for hypothermia, but he hopes to be back home tomorrow, with nothing worse than a sore throat, a hoarse voice and some bruises to show for his ordeal.

Mr Fenech said dogs meant the world to him and he appealed to people to donate to the SPCA, Animal Rescue and all dog sanctuaries.   

Video - Paul Spiteri Lucas