Family members greeted the 33-year-old cave explorer at the entrance of the cave. Approximately 45 to 50 cave and mountain rescuers, some of them from Slovenia, took part in the rescue effort.
The Trieste-based explorer fell about 20 meters while he was exploring the cave, which is very difficult to access and opens up to a 200-meter-high cliffside. Among the first people to reach the injured man, who was left with serious injuries of his arms and ribs, was a Slovenian doctor named Rok Stopar from the Izola General Hospital. Two Slovenian speleologists also helped the Italian rescue team, reported Radio Slovenia’s Trieste correspondent Mirjam Muženič.

The rescue effort was challenging, in part because some of the passages in the cave were too narrow for the stretcher and had to be widened with the use of explosives. The injured explorer spent two nights in the cave along with a doctor and paramedics.

After the passageways were widened, the rescuers could transport the injured man on a stretcher past a critical area – an underground waterfall, about 40 meters from the entrance to the cave.

“Fortunately, they were able to locate the lower entrance to the cave, which made the rescue much easier. The injuries were also not as severe as we had feared, and his condition is stable. He is a medical professional by training and he knows exactly what is happening to him,” said Valter Zakrajšek, the head of the Slovenian Cave Rescue Service, in an interview with TV Slovenia.
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RTV Slovenia’s correspondent Mirjam Muženič spoke to the leader of the mountain rescue part of the rescue effort, Sandro Miorini.

What is the condition of the 33-year old victim, who is a nurse by training?

He’s lucky that he isn’t seriously injured, apart from his elbow and some impact trauma. We aware concerned that he might have internal bleeding, but the doctors who spent time with him told us that that’s not the case. He will get a thorough checkup and additional treatment at the hospital.

The accident happened on Saturday afternoon after he fell in the cave under Mt. Kanin. Who called for help?

One of his three fellow climbers raised the alarm. He climbed out of the cave immediately and called for help.

Who of the rescue team was the first to reach the injured cave explorer?

In addition to his colleagues, who were already in the cave with him, speleologists from Trieste were the first to reach Stefan. On Saturday afternoon, Slovenian doctor Rok Stopar was among the first to arrive. A helicopter of the Friuli-Venezia Giulia Civil Defense also flew to the site.

How many trained personnel participated in the rescue effort?

There were between 45 and 50 in total. In addition to the Slovenian doctor, two Slovenian cave rescuers also helped the Italian crews, who came from several regions, including Vento and Umbria.

How difficult and extensive was the mountain rescue effort?

The accident happened at a depth of around 200 meters, which isn’t that deep. Fortunately, team members familiar with this area helped us find an older entrance to the cave. It’s considerably lower than the one through which the four explorers entered the cave. Widening the narrowest segments of the cave was the biggest challenge. Only after we did that could we bring up the injured explorer using a stretcher.

G. C.; translated by J. B.

Podnapis pod sliko: The rescue effort was challenging because some passageways in the cave were too narrow for the stretcher and had to be widened using explosives.