The moment a man was rescued after spending 24 hours trapped 25 metres down an outback mine shaft has been caught on camera.

Once he was found down the Nine Mile opal mine shaft in Coober Pedy, it took three hours to save him.

His best friend, Sam Jones, said he doubted he would survive.

“I honestly thought he was going to be dead, after being out here for that long, ” he said.

It was late on Friday evening when Daniel’s wife reported him missing to Coober Pedy police station after he failed to show up to meet Jones.

Jones said he’d tried to call him but got no answer.

He went to his house, before heading to the mine.

“(I) Found his car there and instantly thought the worst,” he said.

A search and rescue team was quickly deployed in the 40-degree heat.

As they scoured the hundreds of mine shafts, Jones heard his friend shouting for help

“I called down the shaft and he answered back,” he said.

Daniel has a fractured spine, broken bones and was severely dehydrated.

His family told 9News he underwent surgery and remained in a serious condition at the Royal Adelaide Hospital.

They said they were overwhelmed by the efforts of the emergency service people who helped save his life.