A fisherman has been rescued alive after spending more than two weeks trapped in an underwater sinkhole in Mexico.
Erasto Crisanto Valdez, 31, disappeared in July while fishing with his father in a cenote, a natural sinkhole, in San Francisco La Paz. It was only after an international rescue effort that Valdez was brought to the surface 15 days after he went missing.
Six days after he initially disappeared, rescuers found a harpoon that Valdez had been carrying at a depth of approximately 65 meters (213 feet). Approximately 15 days after his disappearance, he was located in a cave that contained an air pocket, more than 100 meters (328 feet) below the surface.
Explorers from Mexico, Germany, the United States, and the Dominican Republic collaborated on the rescue operation. Mexican explorer Carlos Jimenez described the rescue as a "miracle," stating that the team had been prepared to find Valdez's body.
Valdez was transported to the surface on a stretcher. He was suffering from severe dehydration and malnutrition following his ordeal. He was subsequently taken to a hospital by ambulance.