2023-09-12 03:19:00
An American speleologist, who fell ill on September 2 at the bottom of a deep cave in southern Turkey, was rescued this Monday (11), the Eurasian country’s speleology federation announced.
“Mark Dickey has left,” the federation reported. “The rescue operation ended successfully,” she added.
The 40-year-old man suffered an abdominal hemorrhage while exploring the Morca cave system in southern Turkey together with an international team.
The cave, the third deepest in Turkey, reaches almost 1,300 meters underground at its lowest point. Dickey fell ill at a depth of 1,120 meters.
Their misfortune triggered what rescuers described as one of the most extensive and complicated underground rescue operations ever organized.
An international team of 200 rescuers, explorers and doctors began carefully transporting Dickey to the surface after performing blood transfusions.
He was placed on a stretcher that, on some occasions, had to be lifted vertically with the help of ropes to pass through particularly narrow places.
Furthermore, rescuers had to take rest periods on the surface before returning to the depths.
“We congratulate all those who made their contribution,” declared the Turkish Speleological Federation.
According to authorities, Dickey’s condition gradually improved over the days.
“He is in a good state of health in general. He continues to eat liquids,” Cenk Yildiz, head of Turkey’s local emergency service, told reporters on Sunday night.
“We solved his abdominal bleeding problems with plasma and serum,” he added.
In a video, Dickey thanked the Turkish government for its help and said the rescuers’ “quick reaction” saved his life.
According to the European Cave Rescue Association (ECRA), Dickey is an experienced caver with medical training.
Originally from New York state, he is a “well-known figure in the international speleological community, a highly qualified speleologist as well as a first responder,” ECRA said.
“He is also secretary of the ECRA medical committee and a trainer for cave rescue organizations in the United States,” he added.
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