Mark Dickey hails ‘amazing’ rescue after nine days trapped in Turkish cave – latest

Jump to content Sign up to our newsletters Subscribe News Sport Voices Culture Lifestyle Travel Premium Close Trapped American explorer sends video message from inside Turkish cave Experienced explorer Mark Dickey has emerged from a Turkish cave after a successful three-day rescue operation by teams from all over Europe to carry him out of one of the deepest caves in the world . Mr Dickey said that it was ‘Amazing to be above ground again,’ as he was taken to a medical tent for examination before he could be transferred to hospital after his ordeal, reported CNN. And he thanked the rescue teams and Turkish government for bringing him to safety and said they had ‘saved my life literally no questions asked. And he added: ‘I was underground for far longer than ever expected with an unexpected medical issue.’ More than 150 cave rescuers joined forces to safely extract Mr Dickey, 40, from the complex Morca cave system. Mr Dickey, a well-known speleologist and cave rescuer himself, became trapped on Saturday 2 September after suddenly suffering from gastrointestinal bleeding while on an expedition. His condition worsened quickly, making him unable to move and requiring a doctor to go down into the cave to administer vials of blood to keep him stabilised. For days, rescuers were unsure if Mr Dickey would be strong enough to be rescued to the surface, but his condition began improving on Wednesday. – TRHaber (@trhaber_com) September 11, 2023 Graeme Massie 12 September 2023 00:15 1694473831 Graeme Massie 12 September 2023 00:10 1694473200 The fiance of a caver who fell ill on an expedition in Turkey is assisting with a massive rescue effort to save him. Mark Dickey’s partner and fellow caver Jessica Van Ord was with him when he began suffering gastrointestinal bleeding more than 1,000m below ground in the Morca cave complex on 2 September, according to Reuters. Ms Van Ord remained by Mr Dickey’s side as an Italian rescue team with medical personnel reached the 40-year-old New Yorker and gave him IV fluids and blood inside the cave. Jessica Van Ord is taking part in a daring rescue mission to save Mark Dickey Ariana Baio 12 September 2023 00:00 1694472070 Mark Dickey will be taken by helicopter to a hospital in Mersin, say officials. ‘He seems fine at first look,’ Recep Salci of Turkey’s disaster and emergency management authority (AFAD) said on Tuesday. Graeme Massie 11 September 2023 23:41 1694469410 The 40-year-old American embarked on an expedition mission to map out one of the deepest cave systems in the world – in the Morca cave in Mersin province’s Taurus mountains on 2 September. The 40-year-old American embarked on an expedition mission to map out one of the deepest caves systems in the world – in the Morca cave in Mersin province’s Taurus mountains on 2 September Graeme Massie 11 September 2023 22:56 1694468705 Members of the CNSAS, Italian alpine and speleological rescuers, carry a stretcher with American researcher Mark Dickey during a rescue operation in the Morca cave, near Anamur, southern Turkey, Monday, Sept. 11, 2023. Members of the CNSAS, Italian alpine and speleological rescuers, carry a stretcher with American researcher Mark Dickey during a rescue operation in the Morca cave, near Anamur, southern Turkey, Monday, Sept. 11, 2023. Graeme Massie 11 September 2023 22:45 1694467840 The final stage of Mark Dickey’s rescue evacuation from the Morca cave Ariana Baio 11 September 2023 22:30 1694466040 As cave rescuers work to bring Mark Dickey to the surface, others are cleaning up after themselves and dismantling the rope installations they created in order to bring Mr Dickey up on a stretcher. The European Cave Rescue Association (ECRA) said that Mr Dickey’s medical condition remained unchanged – stable but still delicate due to the gastrointestinal bleeding. Mr Dickey is being lifted out of the depths of the cave via a stretcher which required much preparation by the teams to ensure no rocks fell and it remained sturdy. ‘Rescuers below the stretcher party continue their work to dismantle the rope installations,’ the ECRA wrote on Monday afternoon. ‘All cave rescuers remain fit and well. The whole caving community anxiously awaits the appearance of the casualty at the surface!’ Ariana Baio 11 September 2023 22:00 Turkey cave Cave Rescue Mark Dickey Video images from Turkish channel TRHaber show US caver Mark Dickey following his rescue TRHaber Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in Please refresh your browser to be logged in