An international rescue operation is currently underway in southern Turkey after an American cave explorer experienced a medical emergency during a descent in the country’s third-deepest cave on Saturday.
Mark Dickey, a 40-year-old explorer, was approximately 3,400 feet from the entrance of the alpine Morca cave near Anamur when he started to suffer from severe gastrointestinal pain and bleeding, according to rescue officials.
The following day, a rescue team was mobilized, and a Hungarian medical unit was able to reach Dickey in order to administer a blood transfusion with the support of the Hungarian Cave Rescue Service.
NATIONAL CAVE RESCUE COMMISSION via Reuters
Additional blood units were delivered to Dickey on Tuesday, as stated in a social media post by the Turkish Caving Federation.
As of Thursday, Dickey’s condition is said to be stabilizing, but he still requires assistance to climb out of the cave. The European Cave Rescue Association, which is helping coordinate the rescue operation, mentioned this in a statement.
The Hungarian Cave Rescue Service explained, “The path leading to the victim from the cave entrance requires an entire day of continuous descent on ropes and difficult terrain, often passing through water-filled passages. Another challenge will be fatigue.”
According to the Turkish Caving Federation, it would take a skilled caver approximately 15 hours to complete the climb. With Dickey’s bleeding now stopped and his ability to walk restored, plans were being made on Thursday morning to transport him out of the cave on a stretcher.
Dickey is a renowned speleologist in the global caving community.
The Hungarian Cave Rescue Service commented, “He is highly trained as both a caver and a cave rescuer.” In addition to his cave exploration, Dickey serves as the secretary of the European Cave Rescue Association’s medical committee and as an instructor for cave rescue organizations in the United States.
Multiple donation sites have been established to support the international rescue efforts.
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