The last part of the rescue operation went more smoothly than expected, and 32-year-old Ottavia Piana could be carried out on a stretcher from the cave opening on Wednesday morning, several hours earlier than planned.
It was the second time within 17 months that she was rescued from the Bueno Fonteno cave, which is located near Lago d'Iseo northeast of Bergamo.
The woman has, according to doctors, suffered fractures, among other things, in her face, ribs, and a knee, after falling five meters on Saturday evening. During the rescue work, she was carried through narrow passages by rescue personnel and medical staff, while her health status was evaluated every 90 minutes.
Nearly 160 people from 13 Italian regions have assisted in the rescue operation, which has been ongoing around the clock since Sunday night.
