Captured American explorer sends video message from Turkish cave
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Rescue teams could begin moving captive American explorer Mark Dickey from 3,400 feet into a cave in Turkey within hours, according to a report.
An international team of cave rescuers and medical personnel worked to stabilize the cave expert before launching a rescue operation as early as Saturday, a director of Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) told CNN.
Mr Dickey, 40, is on a mission to explore Morca Cave. But on Saturday, while exploring 3,400 feet below the surface, he began suffering from gastrointestinal bleeding.
Authorities in Europe worked quickly to send a doctor to Mr. Dickey, where they administered blood transfusions in the hope of getting him strong enough to walk.
“I was very close to the edge,” Mr. Dickey said in a video obtained by The Associated Press.
Although Mr. Dickey’s condition has improved thanks to a team of doctors from multiple countries, he may still need a stretcher to leave the hospital.
The cave system is described as extremely narrow with many twists and turns, making navigation difficult. It usually takes a healthy person about 15 hours to get out.
Important points
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Pictures of the rescue operation
Rescuers arrive at a base camp to take part in the rescue operation for captured explorer Mark Dickey
(Umit Bektas/Portal)
The base camp of international rescuers can be seen near the Morca Cave
(Umit Bektas/Portal)
A rescuer holds a map of Morca Cave during a meeting
(Umit Bektas/Portal)
Maanya Sachdeva9 September 2023 11:30
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Map of the Morca cave system
An American is recovering deep underground and awaiting rescue after falling ill during a mapping expedition of Turkey’s Morca Cave.
(AP)
Graeme Massie9. September 2023 10:35
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Raised $50,000 for Mark Dickey
A fundraiser to benefit the teams rescuing Mark Dickey from the cave in Turkey has raised $50,000.
A GoFundMe was created to fund the complicated rescue mission, which will likely take days.
“This fundraiser is being launched on behalf of the National Cave Rescue Commission (where Mark is also an instructor) and will be distributed to the rescue teams to cover the logistical costs of helping him out of the cave,” the description reads .
So far, the fundraiser has reached half of its $100,000 goal.
Graeme Massie9. September 2023 09:01
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Six international rescue teams will help with the rescue
Six rescue teams from different countries except the European Cave Rescue Association (ECRA) are working together to rescue American Mark Dickey from Morca Cave in Turkey.
At 3,400 feet, it will be incredibly difficult to safely extricate Mr. Dickey from the cave.
To make it easier, ECRA will divide seven parts of the cave between the six teams. Each time, solutions are found to complete the rescue operation at a set number of feet.
The Bulgarian cave rescue team will first find a way to transport Mr. Dickey from 3,412 feet (where he is now) to 2,953 feet.
From there, the Croatian rescue team will take Mr. Dickey to 2,345 feet.
Then the Italian rescue team will take Mr. Dickey to 1,640 feet.
Afterwards, the Polish rescue team will help Mr. Dickey reach 1,181 feet.
Then the Hungarian team will help reach 590 feet.
Finally, the Turkish team will help bring Mr. Dickey from the cave to the surface so he can receive proper medical care.
Graeme Massie9. September 2023 07:10
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Dickey’s parents thank the rescuers for their efforts
Andrew and Deborah Ann Dickey, parents of scientist Mark Dickey, released a statement thanking rescuers for their life-saving efforts.
“Mark is strong, but he needed his comrades, including of course the doctors, to turn a devastating situation around,” said Dickey’s parents.
“Our prayers are being answered and we cannot express how much this means to us and will always mean.”
Maanya Sachdeva9 September 2023 05:04
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Who is Mark Dickey?
His cave exploration resume and expert status are endless: Secretary of the ECRA Medical Committee, senior instructor of the Caving Academy, a US-based organization that prepares other cavers for exploration, and national instructor of the National Cave Rescue Commission.
He also volunteers with the New Jersey Initial Response Team, a nonprofit search and rescue team.
Having participated in numerous cave explorations in karst areas around the world for many years, Mr. Dickey is knowledgeable and competent – the kind of person you want on complicated cave explorations like the Morca Mission.
Mr. Dickey was on an expedition to map the 4,186-foot-deep cave system in southern Turkey for the Anatolian Speleology Group Association.
Photos from a Facebook page apparently belonging to Mr. Dickey show him happily preparing for the mission by inspecting all the necessary equipment before embarking.
Graeme Massie9. September 2023 03:05
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He built a career rescuing people from caves. Now he’s stuck in one of the deepest depths in the world
For five days, veteran cave explorer Mark Dickey was stuck 3,400 feet below the surface in a cave in the Taurus Mountains region of Turkey.
Mr Dickey, 40, is an experienced speleologist who embarked on an expedition mission to map one of the deepest caves in the world – the Morca cave system in southern Turkey.
But the expedition was suddenly called off after Mr. Dickey fell ill with gastrointestinal bleeding.
Now a rescue team of over 150 personnel from several international organizations have combined their efforts to rescue Mr. Dickey, who is unable to leave the cave due to the medical emergency.
On Thursday, officials from Turkey’s Speleological Federation said Mr. Dickey’s situation had improved but he required a stretcher, further complicating the rescue mission.
Graeme Massie9. September 2023 01:00
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What is a caver? Mission to recover US explorer trapped 3,400ft in Turkish cave is underway
According to the Cave Exploration Society, Morca Cave is the 74th deepest cave in the world and the third deepest in Turkey – here’s everything you need to know about caving.
What is a caver?
According to the Cave Exploration Society, Morca Cave is the 74th deepest cave in the world and the third deepest in Turkey – here’s everything you need to know about caving
Graeme Massie8. September 2023 8:33 p.m
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The mission to bring cavers to the surface will begin on Saturday, Turkish officials say
Mark Dickey is still at a depth of 1,200 meters underground, but efforts to bring him to the surface are expected to begin on Saturday, a director of Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) told CNN on Friday.
Dickey fell ill with a suspected gastrointestinal hemorrhage last weekend while exploring the Morca Sinkhole in the Morca Valley near Anamur in southern Turkey.
(AP)
Graeme Massie8. September 2023 6:31 p.m
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Doctors work to improve Mark Dickey’s health
In an update from the European Cave Rescue Association (ECRA), officials said doctors are working to improve Mark Dickey’s health condition as much as possible before carrying out the rescue mission.
“The doctors are working to further improve the patient’s state of health [sic] so that the difficult transport to the surface can begin soon and without further complications,” they wrote in a press release.
Officials said they expect Mr. Dickey will need to use a stretcher for part of the rescue mission, but the better his condition, the fewer complications there will be.
Ariana Baio8. September 2023 6:00 p.m