A fisherman was rescued alive after spending more than two weeks trapped in an underwater sinkhole.
Erasto Crisanto Valdez, 31, disappeared on July 23 while fishing with his father in a cenote, a natural sinkhole, in San Francisco La Paz, Mexico.
It was only after an international effort 15 days later on August 7 that Mr Valdez was rescued from the sinkhole.
Six days after he went missing, rescuers found a harpoon Mr Valdez had been carrying at a depth of around 65m (213ft).
And some 15 days after he first went missing, rescuers found the fisherman in a cave with an air pocket more than 100m (328ft) below the surface.
Explorers from Mexico, Germany, the US and the Dominican Republic had joined the effort to save him.
Mexican explorer Carlos Jimenez said the rescue was a 'miracle'.
'We were prepared to find his body,' he said, adding: 'But God had other plans.'
Erasto Crisanto Valdez, 31, disappeared in July while fishing with his father in a cenote, a natural sinkhole, in San Francisco La Paz, Mexico
Six days after he went missing, rescuers found a harpoon Mr Valdez had been carrying at a depth of around 65m (213ft)
Mr Valdez was brought back to the surface on a stretcher and was suffering from severe dehydration and malnutrition after more than a fortnight without food.
He was taken to hospital in his home town of Uxpanapa by ambulance.
Speaking to NMás, Mr Valdez said: 'Thank you God for giving me another opportunity at life and letting me see my kids and family again. It was a miracle – an unbelievable miracle.'
Mr Valdez told Mexican officials that he became trapped after pursuing a robalo, or common snook, that he was trying to catch. When he tried to return, he could no longer find the way out.
'I remained in shock because I couldn’t find the exit,' he reportedly said after the rescue. 'It was a lapse of time that was cut off, as if time had stopped.'
The man's father unsuccessfully tried to find him before seeking help.
The search was conducted by relatives, nearby locals, civil-protection divers and later Mexican Navy divers and international explorers.
Mr Valdez was formally reported missing on July 26. Four days later, authorities announced that the initial specialist phase was over, but a wider search would continue.
It was only after an international effort 15 days later that Mr Valdez was rescued from the sinkhole
The cave Mr Valdez became trapped in was unexplored, with poor visibility and sharp rocks that jutted out, making the rescue effort particularly challenging.
Experienced American cave-diver Harry Gust, who participated in the search, told Divernet that the search for Mr Valdez was presented to him as a body recovery mission.
About 75 minutes into his first dive, Mr Gust found a spare air tank about 100 meters (328ft) inside the cave, he told the outlet.
That gave an indication of the route Mr Valdez may have taken, but provided no indication that he might still be alive.
The next day, Mr Gust returned to the spot where he found the air tank and found 'a large dry cave,' he told Divernet.
The diver called out asking if someone was there, then heard Mr Valdez reply: 'Yes!'
The man had been trapped in the cave for the past 15 days waiting to be rescued. 'I could not see him but assured him that I was coming back for him with more help,' Mr Gust said.
Mr Gust returned with another diver, and they gave Mr Valdez a breathing apparatus connected to an air tank.
They then transported the severely dehydrated and malnourished man 100 meters underwater through the darkness back to the surface of the cenote.
It is believed Mr Valdez was able to survive because of a river flowing out of the dry cave that he was able to drink from, according to Mr Gust.
Mr Valdez said that while languishing in the darkness, all he did was drink, pray and sleep. He had lost all sense of time and said he thought he had only been trapped for about three days.