MANUELLE CHAMEROIS DESCENDING CAVE WITH M. SIFFRE.




Initials PBS/V/JF/OS



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: A 25-YEAR-OLD FRENCH WOMAN, EMANUELLE CHAMEROIS, DESCENDED INTO A CAVE 260 FEET (80 METRES) BELOW GROUND NEAR NICE TODAY (MONDAY) TO BEGIN AN EXPERIMENT IN SUBTERRANEAN LIVING EXPECTED TO LAST SEVERAL MONTHS.

THE WOMAN IS TAKING PART IN THE THIRD OF A SERIES OF TESTS BY THE FRENCH ARMED FORCES MINISTRY AND A GEOLOGIST, MICHEL SIFFRE.

MISS CHAMEROIS WAS ESCORTED TO THE CAVE BY M. SIFFRE.

THE CAVE IS THE SAME CAVERN OCCUPIED BY JOSIANE LAURES, AGED TWENTY SIX, FOR THREE MONTHS EARLIER THIS YEAR.

NEARBY, JEAN PIERRE MAIRETET, AGED TWENTY, IS TRYING TO BREAK THE WORLD UNDERGROUND ENDURANCE RECORD OF 130 DAYS ESTABLISHED LAST MONTH BY A BRITON, DAVID LAFERTY.

M. MAIRETET HAS ALREADY SPENT MORE THAN 100 DAYS UNDERGROUND.

MISS CHAMEROIS WILL HAVE A RADIO TRANSMITTER, SIMILAR TO THOSE USED BY ASTRONAUTS, TO RELAY INFORMATION TO THE SURFACE ABOUT HER PHYSIOLOGICAL REACTIONS. IT WILL BE ATTACHED TO HER BODY.

SHE PLANS TO DRAW AND STUDY ASIAN RELIGIONS DURING HER SUBTERRANEAN SOJOURN.