Spanish potholer survives 12 days stuck in Peruvian cave
Thursday, October 2, 2014 @ 10:41 AM
A SPANISH potholer stuck in a cave for 12 days has finally been rescued.
Cecilio López Tercero, from Madrid, suffered a fall whilst exploring a cave in the Peruvian Amazon on September 18 with the climbing group Espelokandil.
Two friends from Valencia flew out to Perú to help with the rescue operation, which proved extremely tricky as Cecilio was over 400 metres below ground inside the Intimachay, or 'cave of the sun', in Leymebamba.
Whilst stuck down the shaft, Cecilio managed to write a letter thanking everyone for their efforts in trying to get him out.
He had to wait for over an hour and a half in a tent set up at the entrance to the cave for a helicopter to take him to the nearest town, Chachapoyas, since weather conditions prevented the craft from landing.
The Peruvian Air Force then flew him to Lima, where he arrived at 19.00hrs local time (02.00hrs mainland Spain time) yesterday (Tuesday).
Cecilio survived his ordeal thanks to a doctor and nurse who had accompanied him as far as where he had fallen, and who supplied him with energy drinks and painkillers.
Read more at thinkSPAIN.com