A cave explorer was rescued in northern Italy after an hours-long operation by emergency services.
The man became trapped on Sunday in the Grotta dei Cinghiali Volanti cave near Garessio in the Piedmont region after his leg was pinned beneath a rock at a depth of around 120 metres.
On Monday morning the mountain rescue service reported that the man – an Italian in his 20s – had been freed and was taken to hospital.
More than 50 rescue workers were involved in the operation, which was complicated by the challenging underground environment and difficult terrain.
The rescue teams eventually reached the caver, removed the rock and freed him. While still underground, the rescue team set up a small medical treatment centre, where an initial medical assessment was carried out.
The mountain rescue service determined his condition was good, so he did not need to be carried out of the narrow cave on a stretcher.
The cave is situated at an altitude of around 1,200 metres in the Rocca d'Orse-Val d'Inferno karst region, and is a popular destination.
The TV channel RAI reported that there are more than 600 explored caves, shafts and large underground systems in the area.
