Trapped US explorer: Researcher rescued from deep Turkish cave more than a week later

Rescuers pulled an American researcher out of a Turkish cave on Monday, more than a week after he became seriously ill. Photo / AP

Rescuers have pulled an American researcher out of a Turkish cave, more than a week after he became seriously ill 1000 metres below its entrance, said the Speleological Federation of Turkey.

Teams from across Europe had rushed to Morca cave in southern Turkey’s Taurus Mountains to aid Mark Dickey, a 40-year-old experienced caver who became seriously ill on September 2 with stomach bleeding. He was on an expedition to map the cave, which is the country’s third deepest.

Dickey was too frail to climb out himself, so rescuers carried him with the help of a stretcher, making frequent stops at temporary camps set up along the way.

“Mark Dickey is out of the Morca cave. He is fine and is being tended to by emergency medical worker in the encampment above,” said a statement by the speleological federation. “Thus, the cave rescue part of the operation has ended successfully. We congratulate all those who have contributed!”

Members of the CNSAS, Italian alpine and speleological rescuers, carry a stretcher with American researcher Mark Dickey during a rescue operation. Photo / AP

A statement from Mark’s parents, Debbie and Andy Dickey, said the fact that their son “has been moved out of Morca Cave in stable condition is indescribably relieving and fills us with incredible joy”.

The American was first treated inside the cave by a Hungarian doctor who went down the cave on September 3. Doctors and rescuers then took turns caring for him. The cause of Dickey’s illness was not clear.

The biggest challenges for the rescuers were the steep vertical sections and navigating through mud and water at low temperatures in the horizontal sections. There was also the psychological toll of staying inside a dark, damp cave for extended periods of time.

Around 190 experts from Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Italy, Poland and Turkey took part in the rescue, including doctors, paramedics and experienced cavers. Teams comprised of a doctor and three to four other rescuers took turns staying by his side at all times.

The rescue began on Saturday after doctors, who administered IV fluids and blood, determined that Dickey could make the arduous ascent.

Before the evacuation could begin, rescuers first had to widen some of the cave’s narrow passages, install ropes to pull him up vertical shafts on a stretcher and set up temporary camps along the way.

Dickey, who is from New York, is a well-known cave researcher and a cave rescuer himself who had participated in many international expeditions.

He and several other people on the expedition were mapping the 1276m deep Morca cave system for the Anatolian Speleology Group Association. Dickey became ill on September 2, but it took until the next morning to notify people above ground.

Dickey thanked the caving community and the Turkish government for their efforts to rescue him.