On Sunday, Jesse Hernandez, a 13-year-old boy fell into a sewage pipe and was swept away by waste water whilst playing near a sewer access portal with friends. A rescue team spent more than 12 hours finding him within the toxic and maze-like underground sewage system.

A spokesman for the Los Angeles fire department, Brian Humphrey said that Jesse fell about 25ft (8 meters) when wooden planks suddenly cracked under his feet. Other children immediately called 911 and a rescue team began an exhaustive 12-hour search.

The rescue team used cameras propped on flotation devices to explore the sewage pipes. Rescuers finally found Jesse after seeing images of handprints on a sewage pipe. A sanitation crew rushed to the area and opened a manhole.

“The first thing they heard was ‘Help!”’ said Adel Hagekhalil, assistant general manager of the sanitation department. The crew lowered down a hose to Jesse, who was about 11ft (3 meters) deep in the pipe. “He caught on to the hose and was reeled back up,” Hagekhalil said.

After the rescue, the young boy was immediately given a medical examination after which his throat was cleared of any swallowed sewage and his eyes and nose were cleaned with saline. 

Rescuers said that the likelihood of Jesse being found safe declined rapidly with every second that passed. The chance of survival in a situation like this is very slim and many people have labelled this a "miracle". About 2,400ft (731 meters) of pipe had been inspected when rescuers found Jesse less than a mile from where he disappeared. He was taken to a hospital for a full evaluation and to be reunited with his family.

“They never gave up hope,” Hagekhalil said. “They wanted to bring Jesse back to his family.” The Guardian reported.

Jesse’s survival was also down to his own efforts. He found a place to breathe and was also able to fend off the current until he was found. “Any subterranean location, particularly one that involves waste, can produce toxic gases – methane, hydrogen sulfide – so breathable air is a key element,” a spokesman said, “He has tremendous inner strength.”

The Los Angeles mayor, Eric Garcetti, was among the many Angelinos closely watching the rescue efforts for Jesse. On Twitter, Garcetti praised rescuers and thanked the teen’s family for their “patience and optimism during this harrowing experience”.