Explorer rescued after 12 days trapped in cave in Peru
An explorer has finally been rescued from a cave in Peru after being trapped for 12 days.
Spaniard Cecilio Tercero López, 40, is thought to have suffered a suspected broken back on 18 September when his harness snapped as he neared the end of an abseil down a 1,300ft shaft in the Intimachay cave in the Andes' Leimebamba region.
It took a 50-strong team of cavers from Spain, France and Peru to descend more than two kilometres to reach Cecilio and stretcher him out.
The Independent reports that his chances of survival had initially seemed slim as the shaft lay at the end of an underground river more than 1,000 yards long.
The operation was a lengthy one as the narrowest parts of the horizontal tunnel between the cave mouth and the top of the shaft had to be widened. Also, humidity in the cave was 100 per cent with a 10,000ft altitude.
The team first reached him last week and were able to administer sedatives to help with the pain.
A Peruvian air force helicopter airlifted him to the nearest airport before he was moved to a hospital in Lima.
According to the Daily Telegraph, Police Chief Jorge Luis Calderon said: "The injured person is in stable condition, in good health and is being helped by several doctors."
Mr Lopez is a professional caver and has been visiting the region for cave expeditions since 2003.
He has now said the experience has taught him "the quality and quantity of friends that I have".
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