An injured researcher who was trapped deep inside a cave in northern Italy for more than three days has been carried to safety.
Ottavia Piana, 32, reached the surface strapped to a stretcher early on Wednesday after 75 hours underground and at the end of a rescue operation which started at midnight on Saturday.
She had suffered multiple fractures, including to her face, ribs and knee, when she fell five metres (16ft) on Saturday while exploring an uncharted part of the Bueno Fonteno cave, situated to the east of the city of Bergamo.
Ms Piana had been attempting to map an unexplored branch of the cave, which is located around 500 metres below the surface.
Removal through the narrow, uncharted part of the cave was especially harrowing, officials said.
Video showed her wrapped in blankets and strapped to a stretcher being passed through narrow passageways by a team of rescuers, which included doctors and nurses on rotation.
They stopped every 90 minutes to assess her condition.
By late afternoon on Tuesday, the rescuers reached the main tunnel.
Pic: Soccorso Alpino/AP
Rescuers inside Bueno Fonteno cave. Pic: National Alpine and Speleological Rescue Corps/Repertoire photos
Pic: AP
The final passage went much more quickly than anticipated, with the team carrying Ms Piana arriving at the surface at least 12 hours before they were expected.
Nearly 160 technicians from 13 Italian regions assisted in the rescue.
Emergency services were alerted by members of Ms Piana’s team when she fell.
She was around four hours from the entrance, according to rescuers.
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Rescuers reached her late on Sunday and used small explosives in an attempt to breach the last 100 metres to reach her.
Local media reports said Ms Piana needed to be rescued from the same cave last year after becoming trapped.
