Trapped American explorer sends video message from inside Turkish cave
Mark Dickey has emerged from a Turkish cave after a successful three-day rescue operation by teams from all over Europe to carry him out of one of the deepest caves in the world.
An international team of cave rescuers successfully brought Mr Dickey from 3,400 feet (1,036 metres) in the cave to safety at 12.37am on Tuesday local time, after a challenging operation that began on Saturday.
“Mark Dickey was removed from the last exit of the cave at 00:37 and taken to the UMKE tent. Thus, the cave rescue part of the operation has ended successfully. We congratulate all those who have contributed!” Turkish rescuers stated on X.
More than 150 cave rescuers joined forces to safely extract Mr Dickey, 40, from the complex Morca cave system.
Mr Dickey, a well-known speleologist and cave rescuer himself, became trapped on Saturday 2 September after suddenly suffering from gastrointestinal bleeding while on an expedition.
His condition worsened quickly, making him unable to move and requiring a doctor to go down into the cave to administer vials of blood to keep him stabilised. For days, rescuers were unsure if Mr Dickey would be strong enough to be rescued to the surface, but his condition began improving on Wednesday.
Caver rescue shown on Turkish TV
SON DAKİKA | Morca Mağarası’nda araştırma yaparken mahsur kalan ABD’li bilim insanı Mark Dickey’i kurtarma çalışması 10. gününde başarıyla sonuçlandı.
Dickey, helikopterle hastaneye sevk ediliyor. pic.twitter.com/kPmyi5aw8F
— TRHaber (@trhaber_com) September 11, 2023
Graeme Massie12 September 2023 00:15
Graeme Massie12 September 2023 00:10
Mark Dickey’s fiancé assists with rescue effort to save stranded caver
The fiancé of a caver who fell ill on an expedition in Turkey is assisting with a massive rescue effort to save him.
Mark Dickey’s partner and fellow caver Jessica Van Ord was with him when he began suffering gastrointestinal bleeding more than 1,000m below ground in the Morca cave complex on 2 September, according to Reuters.
Ms Van Ord remained by Mr Dickey’s side as an Italian rescue team with medical personnel reached the 40-year-old New Yorker and gave him IV fluids and blood inside the cave.
Ariana Baio12 September 2023 00:00
Caver to be taken to hospital by helicopter
Mark Dickey will be taken by helicopter to a hospital in Mersin, say officials.
“He seems fine at first look,” Recep Salci of Turkey’s disaster and emergency management authority (AFAD) said on Tuesday.
Graeme Massie11 September 2023 23:41
Mark Dickey emerges from Turkish cave after successful rescue operation
The 40-year-old American embarked on an expedition mission to map out one of the deepest cave systems in the world – in the Morca cave in Mersin province’s Taurus mountains on 2 September.
Graeme Massie11 September 2023 22:56
Latest pictures as cave rescue nears the surface
Members of the CNSAS, Italian alpine and speleological rescuers, carry a stretcher with American researcher Mark Dickey during a rescue operation in the Morca cave, near Anamur, southern Turkey, Monday, Sept. 11, 2023.
(AP)
Members of the CNSAS, Italian alpine and speleological rescuers, carry a stretcher with American researcher Mark Dickey during a rescue operation in the Morca cave, near Anamur, southern Turkey, Monday, Sept. 11, 2023.
(AP)
Graeme Massie11 September 2023 22:45
What the final stage of the mission looks like
The final stage of Mark Dickey’s rescue evacuation from the Morca cave
(European Cave Rescue Association (ECRA))
Ariana Baio11 September 2023 22:30
Rescuers in process of dismantling rope installations
As cave rescuers work to bring Mark Dickey to the surface, others are cleaning up after themselves and dismantling the rope installations they created in order to bring Mr Dickey up on a stretcher.
The European Cave Rescue Association (ECRA) said that Mr Dickey’s medical condition remained unchanged – stable but still delicate due to the gastrointestinal bleeding.
Mr Dickey is being lifted out of the depths of the cave via a stretcher which required much preparation by the teams to ensure no rocks fell and it remained sturdy.
“Rescuers below the stretcher party continue their work to dismantle the rope installations,” the ECRA wrote on Monday afternoon.
“All cave rescuers remain fit and well. The whole caving community anxiously awaits the appearance of the casualty at the surface!”
Ariana Baio11 September 2023 22:00
Six international rescue team assisting in rescue
Six rescue teams from different countries apart of the European Cave Rescue Association (ECRA) are working together to try to rescue American Mark Dickey from the Morca cave in Turkey.
At 3,400 feet, it will be incredibly difficult to get Mr Dickey, safely, out of the cave.
To make it easier, the ECRA is going to split seven parts of the cave up among the six teams. Each time will find solutions to conduct the rescue operation at a set number of feet.
The Bulgarian cave rescue team will first find a way to get Mr Dickey from 3,412 feet (where he is now) to 2,953 feet.
From there, the Croatian rescue team will get Mr Dickey to 2,345 feet.
Then the Italian rescue team will get Mr Dickey to 1,640 feet.
After that the Polish rescue team will take over to help Mr Dickey reach 1,181 feet.
Then the Hungarian team will assist in reaching 590 feet.
Finally, the Turkish team will help get Mr Dickey out of the cave and to the surface so he can reach proper medical care.
Ariana Baio11 September 2023 21:20
Mark Dickey at 328 feet – expected to be rescued tonight
The Speleological Federation of Turkey wrote on X that Mark Dickey had made it to the 328 feet (100 metres) point as of Monday afternoon.
This is the last section of the cave before Mr Dickey can be returned to the surface and seek medical attention.
“Mark is in the last 100 meters. Crews continue to work to have him [sic] out tonight,” the organisation wrote.
Ariana Baio11 September 2023 20:42