An urgent rescue operation is underway in Italy's Piedmont region to free a cave explorer who suffered a head injury after being hit by falling rocks some 40 metres (more than 130 feet) below ground.
The incident occurred on Sunday while the explorer was on an outing with friends.
Medical teams have reached the injured individual and are providing treatment inside a heated tent. The severity of his head injury means he is unable to exit the cave unassisted, the country's mountain rescue corps confirmed.
Rescuers used explosive charges to widen the cave at three key junctures so the injured man could be carried to the surface. He remained in good condition.
The Abisso Paperino:
The Abisso Paperino extends 170 meters (about 557 feet) underground, including a fossil gallery, near the town of Ormea in Cuneo province.