A horse was trapped more than 2 meters underground after a section of an unpaved road collapsed under its feet, in La Grita, Tachira, Venezuela.
The animal was partially covered in dirt and so exhausted that it no longer had the strength to free itself.
Immediately, firefighters and local residents began a race against time to save his life.
They carefully removed the soil that had covered him and freed his front legs.
When they realized the horse no longer had the strength to get out on its own, they secured its body and used an excavator to slowly pull it out of the pit.
And finally the moment everyone was waiting for came: the horse was free!
A veterinarian checked him over after the rescue and, thankfully, he was returned safely to his owner.