 LIMA – Spanish speleologist Cecilio Lopez Tercero has been admitted to a hospital in the Peruvian capital after his rescue from a jungle cave, 12 days after he suffered an accident during an expedition. Lopez, who fell from a height of 400 meters (1,300 feet) on Sept. 18, was rescued Tuesday from the cave named Intimachay, meaning Cave of the Sun in the local Quechua language, in the Amazon region. Lopez spent 90 minutes waiting for a helicopter that would take him to the town of Chachapoyas, but the aircraft was delayed due to bad weather. A Peruvian Air Force plane then flew him from Chachapoyas to Lima, Spanish diplomatic sources told Efe. Lopez was admitted to the hospital where medical tests were performed to evaluate the severity of the injuries he suffered during his fall. Over the last week, Lopez received medical aid from a doctor and a nurse in the cave and they administered nutrient-rich food and tranquilizers to alleviate his pain. Following 12 days of arduous work, Lopez was rescued with the help of 70 Spanish speleologists, experts from Italy, France and Mexico, and dozens of Peruvian soldiers and firemen. |