09 September 2023 , 16:42
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Rescue teams have begun their attempts to save an American researcher who became seriously ill while he was 1,000 metres (3,000 feet) below the entrance of a cave in Turkey, an official from Turkey’s disaster management agency has said.
It could take days to bring Mark Dickey to the surface since rescuers anticipate he will have to stop and rest frequently at camps set up along the way as they pull his stretcher through the narrow passages.
The 40-year-old suffered gastrointestinal bleeding while on an expedition in Morca cave, in southern Turkey's Taurus Mountains with a few others, including three Americans, the European Association of Cave Rescuers said.
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An American researcher named Mark Dickey became seriously ill while exploring a cave in Turkey that was 1,000 meters (3,000 feet) deep (AP)An official from the Disaster and Emergency Management Directorate said: "This afternoon, the operation to move him from his camp at 1040 meters to the camp at 700 meters began,”
Teams of rescuers from across Europe have rushed to Mark’s aid. A Hungarian doctor reached and treated him inside the cave on Sept. 3. Doctors and rescuers have since been taking turns caring for him.
In a video message from inside the cave, made available Thursday by Turkey's communications directorate, Mark said he is thankful to the caving community and the Turkish government for their efforts.
Rescue teams have begun the difficult process of bringing Dickey to the surface (Facebook)“The caving world is a really tight-knit group and it’s amazing to see how many people have responded on the surface," said Mark“ ... I do know that the quick response of the Turkish government to get the medical supplies that I need, in my opinion, saved my life. I was very close to the edge.”
Mark, who is seen standing and moving around in the video, said that while he is alert and talking, he is not “healed on the inside” and will need a lot of help to get out of the cave. Doctors will decide whether he will need to leave the cave on a stretcher or if he can leave under his own power.
Mark, who had been bleeding and losing fluid from his stomach, has stopped vomiting and has eaten for the first time in days, according to a New Jersey-based cave rescue group he’s affiliated with. It’s unclear what caused his medical issue.
The New Jersey Initial Response Team said the rescue will require many teams and constant medical care. The group says the cave is also quite cold — about 4-6 C (39-42 F). Communication with Dickey takes about five to seven hours and is carried out by runners, who go from Dickey to the camp below the surface where a telephone line to speak with the surface has been set up.
The rescue effort currently involves more than 170 people, including doctors, paramedics who are tending to Dickey and experienced cavers, Ogrenecek said, adding that the rescue operation could take up to two to three weeks. The operation includes rescue teams from Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Italy, Poland and Turkey.