An American man who became ill in the depths of a Turkish cave and this week said he will “need a lot of help” is set to be rescued in the next few days.
Experienced caver Mark Dickey had set out on an expedition into the Morca cave in Turkey’s Taurus Mountains, with the intention of mapping out a new passage of the cave. However, he fell ill last weekend while at a depth of about 3,675 feet due and was brought to a base camp at 3,412 feet,per CNN.
Turkish Government Directorate of Communications via AP
Doctors at the cave base camp said that it was“not possible for him to climb out on his own,”and it would take 15 hours in ideal conditions to get from the base camp back to the entrance of the cave due to“narrow winding passages and several rappels,”per posts on the Turkish Caving Federation’s account on Twitter (formerly known as X) on Tuesday.
The ECRA release detailed that as well as Turkish organizations including the Turkish Cave Rescue Service, between Sunday and Wednesday rescue teams from the Hungarian Cave Rescue Service and Bulgarian Cave Rescue had arrived on the scene, with Italian, Croatian and Polish teams detailed on Wednesday as being “on their way.”
American caver Mark Dickey, left, 40, talks to a colleague inside the Morca cave near Anamur, southern Turkey, Thursday, Sept. 7, 2023.Turkish Government Directorate of Communications via AP
A Friday report from theWashington Postsaid that around 200 caving experts have flown in to help Dickey, 40, in his ascent back to the surface. According to NBC News, the added assistance means the American caver is likely to be rescued on Friday or soon after.
Dr. Tulga Şener, medical coordinator at the rescue commission of Turkey’s caving federation told NBC News that Dickey had been vomiting and bleeding, but that his condition had improved. The Turkish Caving Federation also said earlier this week on X that it had sent downsix units of bloodto Dickey on Tuesday to help stabilize his condition.
“I don’t quite know what’s happened, but I do know that the quick response of the Turkish government to get the medical supplies that I needed, in my opinion, saved my life,” said Dickey, who appeared to be standing up in front of a purple tarp, in the video. “I was very close to the edge.”
“As you can see I’m up, I’m alert and talking, but I’m not healed on the inside yet,” he added. “So, I’m gonna need a lot of help to get out of here.”
European Cave Rescue Association (ECRA) members work next to the entrance of Morca cave near Anamur, southern Turkey, Thursday, Sept. 7, 2023.Huseyin Yildiz/IHA via AP
Huseyin Yildiz/IHA via AP
However, due to Dickey’s condition, Gretchen Baker, from National Cave Rescue Commission (NCRC) toldCNNon Thursday that they are “anticipating that it will take days to get him out of the cave.”
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“The team on the ground is very happy that Mark’s condition seems to be improving, so that it looks like that he will not have to be in a [rescue] litter the entire way out,” she said, adding, “The more he can help, the faster the rescue can go.”
source: people.com
