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An elderly Buddhist monk survived 4 days trapped the other way up in a narrow cave without food and water.
Luang Ta Somchai, 77, disappeared from Wat Thammasathan Phasawan temple in northeastern Thailand on December 7.
Volunteers and community leaders desperately scoured a 2km area across the temple in vein before he was discovered stuck in a decent rock crevice on December 11.
Rescuers needed to climb down a 98ft (30m) cave to seek out the monk, where they found him the other way up within the deep, narrow third chamber.
All that could possibly be seen through the outlet were his feet, along with his head and shoulders wedged in to the crevice.
Officers needed to abseil head-first into the confined space to succeed in him.
Luang Ta Somchai said he had entered the cave system from a special point and have become lost inside a natural labyrinth.
The monk said: ‘I walked through the cave but couldn’t get out again. I had no phone, so I just waited and called for help.
‘I’m thankful to all of the individuals who helped me.’
It took greater than three hours to rigorously pry Luang Ta Somchai free from the rocks around him.
Despite the 4 day ordeal, doctors said he was sustained only minor injuries and was dehydrated.
Authorities described his survival over 4 days without assistance as remarkable.
Rescue officer Tawadee said: ‘The monk was conscious when found but physically weak. He had scratches throughout his body.’
In October, a team of rescuers managed to save three cavers who had turn out to be trapped contained in the Dowber Gill Passage in North Yorkshire for 42 hours.
Volunteers found the boys at around 2.30am on Friday, sitting below ledges near a 60-foot-deep rift by the Dow Cave.
It took a fragile three hour operation with greater than 100 volunteers working against rising floodwaters to get them out safely.
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