This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jun/19/injured-explorer-rescued-germany-deepest-cave

The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 1 Version 2
Injured explorer rescued from Germany's deepest cave after 12 days Injured explorer rescued from Germany's deepest cave after 12 days
(35 minutes later)
An explorer who got injured at the bottom of Germany's deepest cave 12 days ago has re-emerged after a rescue operation that could lead to the Riesending cave complex being closed for good.An explorer who got injured at the bottom of Germany's deepest cave 12 days ago has re-emerged after a rescue operation that could lead to the Riesending cave complex being closed for good.
Bavarian mountain rescue authorities confirmed that Johann Westhauser had emerged at the top of the cave at 11.44am local time.Bavarian mountain rescue authorities confirmed that Johann Westhauser had emerged at the top of the cave at 11.44am local time.
The logistics of the rescue mission, involving 728 people from five countries and estimated to cost several million euros, has captured the imagination of the German public since climbers arrived at the site of the accident last Friday. The logistics of the rescue mission, involving 728 people from five countries and estimated to have cost several million euros, has captured the imagination of the German public since climbers arrived at the site of the accident last Friday.
On Sunday 8 June, Westhauser suffered a fall at a depth of around 950 metres and a distance of four miles (6.5km). On Sunday 8 June, Westhauser was injured by rockfall at a depth of about 950 metres and a distance of four miles (6.5km) from the cave entrance.
Originally it was expected that the rescue mission would be finished on Wednesday night, but it was delayed by complications during the final stretch, a 180-metre-deep vertical shaft through which the explorer had to be pulled on a winch. Originally it was expected that the rescue mission would be finished on Wednesday night, but it was delayed by complications during the final stretch, a 180-metre vertical shaft through which the explorer had to be pulled on a winch.
According to the mountain rescue services, the mission employed a manual pulley system in the final phase, with members of the rescue team reportedly abseiling down as a counterweight to the stretcher carrying Westhauser. According to the mountain rescue services, the mission employed a manual pulley system in the final phase, with members of the rescue team reportedly abseiling down as a counterweight to the 100kg stretcher carrying Westhauser.
A mobile emergency unit has been awaiting Westhauser, 52, at the cave entrance. According to the doctor Nico Petterich, he will be given dark sunglasses to help him get accustomed to the bright light. Doctors will then assess the state of his health to decide which clinic he should be transferred to. A mobile emergency unit has been awaiting Westhauser at the cave entrance. According to Bild newspaper, he was airlifted to a hospital in Salzburg shortly after midday. Westhauser had suffered head injuries during his accident, but officials have described his state of health during the rescue mission as stable.
At a press conference in Berchtesgaden, Norbert Heiland of the Bavarian mountain rescue service said the mission had opened "a new chapter in Alpine history", likening it to the 1957 rescue of the Italian mountaineer Claudio Corti from the north face of the Eiger mountain, widely regarded as one of the greatest rescue operations of all time.
"Previously many had doubted that a rescue at 1,000 metres depth was possible," Heiland said. "The difficulty and complexity of the operation was unprecedented."
According to the leader of the Swiss rescue team, Andy Scheurer, the different international groups had "grown into one big family" during the mission, while the Austrian representative said that "even the strongest lads had tears in their eyes" when the team emerged into daylight.
Westhauser, 52, a scientist at the Karlsruhe Technology Institute, is part of a team of researchers who have been exploring the Riesending cave since 2002. Discovered in 1995, its name translates as "gigantic thing", reportedly after an exclamation uttered by one of the other explorers, Hermann Sommer: "What a gigantic thing!" Other explorers have described the cave as "an Everest of the deep".
The local authorities, for whom the media attention has caused numerous headaches, are likely to see consequences from the accident: next week, the local council will vote on closing down the cave for good.The local authorities, for whom the media attention has caused numerous headaches, are likely to see consequences from the accident: next week, the local council will vote on closing down the cave for good.
"The danger of future missions in the Riesending cave is just too great," said Thomas Weber, the mayor of the Bischofswiesen district. "The extreme public accessibility has led us to submit a request for the closure of the cave". "The danger of future missions in the Riesending cave is just too great," said Thomas Weber, the mayor of the Bischofswiesen district. "The extreme public accessibility has led us to submit a request for the closure of the cave."