A Spanish athlete has emerged from an underground cave after 500 days of solitary stay.
Beatriz Flamini, 50, of Madrid entered the cave in southern Spain on November 20, 2021 as reported by Reuters.
She left the cave which was about 70 meters underground for the first time after 500 days of stay.
The athlete says that she passed her time by reading books, painting, knitting, drawing and exercising.
“In fact, I didn’t want to come out,” she said.
Beatriz Flamini was 48 years old when she first entered the cave located in Granada.
During her stay, she was closely monitored by speleologists, psychologists and researchers. However, these researchers never made any contact.
Beatriz Flamini stated that after two months she lost track of time. When she emerged out of the cave for the first time, she indicated that she thought she had stayed underground for 160 to 170 days.
“When they came in to get me, I was asleep. I thought something had happened,” Flamini told media.
“I said Already? Surely not.’ I hadn’t finished my book.”
The 500-day stay was part of a project known as “Timecave.” The objective was to assess how a human would handle staying underground for a long time.
The researchers were focused on checking the body disorientation as well as the impacts of social isolation.
“I’m still stuck on November 21, 2021,” Flamini told reporters.
“I don’t know anything about the world.”
Beatriz Flamini may have set a world record for her long stay in an underground stay in a cave. The Guinness Book of Records is yet to confirm this claim.
Flamini was given a panic button which she never considered pressing during her stay.
She survived a fly invasion which left her covered in bugs. The athlete is reported to have suffered “auditory hallucinations” while staying in the underground cave. After coming out of the case, she needed assistance standing up while speaking with journalists because of balance issues.
She concluded that the experience is “unbeatable” and “excellent”.
“You have to remain conscious of your feelings,” Flamini said.
“If you’re afraid, that’s something natural but never let panic in or you get paralyzed.”
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