Getting to Vietnam's Son Doong cave
This week's 60 Minutes takes viewers deep into the largest known cave passage in the world. The journey was one of the most physically demanding and visually stunning assignments of Scott Pelley's long career.
For decades, 60 Minutes has explored some of the most remote and extraordinary places on Earth, places viewers have never been and likely will never go. But even by those standards, correspondent Scott Pelley's latest assignment stands apart.
"This was completely unique," Pelley said.
Traversing the cave required an arduous effort by Pelley and the 60 Minutes team. But getting there almost never happened.
A reluctant start and a grueling journey
Son Doong was first discovered in 1990 by Ho Khanh, a Vietnamese villager who found the entrance while sheltering from a storm. Inside, he was greeted by darkness and an immediate 300-foot drop, so he never explored the immense cavern.