Rescue from a Kilometer Deep
International rescue teams are on their way to Mark Dickey, a US researcher who has been trapped in a Turkish cave for almost a week. The extraordinary rescue mission is expected to take at least several more days.
Located in the barren mountain landscape of the Taurus Mountains, approximately 100 kilometers east of the tourist hotspot Alanya, a fully-equipped Italian cave team bid farewell and ventures into the mountain, descending about 1,000 meters deep. It is in this dark depth that Mark Dickey has been held captive for six days. The 40-year-old experienced a gastrointestinal bleeding during an expedition in the Morca cave, the third deepest cave in Turkey, and was unable to climb out on his own. One day later, a Hungarian rescue team managed to reach him.
“We brought down a doctor and medical supplies. Thanks for the blood as well. We were able to treat him with it. Mark is feeling much better now.” He received six blood transfusions. Dickey’s condition subsequently stabilized. In a video from the cave, he also personally speaks up, stating, “As you can see, I am awake and able to speak. But I have internal injuries. So, I will need a lot of help to get out of here.”
Days of ascent ahead
Since then, not only Italian and Hungarian teams are present, but also teams from Croatia, Poland, and Turkey. According to experts, the ascent from this depth in the Morca cave usually takes around 16 hours. However, now they estimate that it will take three to four days.
The cave had to be widened in some places to accommodate a stretcher, experts say. Communication cables have been laid. While water drips down the walls of the cave, a Turkish cave researcher explains the problematic areas. The temperature is below ten degrees Celsius. When Dickey speaks, his breath can be seen in the cold air. He is wearing a thick red down jacket and a headlamp.
“I was pretty close to death”
“The world of cave explorers is really closely connected, and it’s amazing to see how many people on the surface have reacted,” says Dickey. He doesn’t know exactly what happened but acknowledges that the “quick reaction of the Turkish government” saved his life. “I was pretty close to death.”
According to the Turkish Caving Federation, this is one of the biggest cave rescues in terms of logistics and technology to date. Around 150 rescuers are involved. “This is a highly complex cave rescue operation,” says Dinko Novosel, head of the European Cave Rescue Association. “And it is not yet over.” Only when they manage to get the victim out of the cave and into the hospital, can they say that the rescue operation was successful. “So far, there has been no case worldwide where we have carried out such a large cave rescue operation. The magnitude of this cave rescue is the challenge.”
Uncertain outcome
Dickey, who hails from the US state of New Jersey, is an experienced cave explorer who is also trained in cave rescue. In the video, he expresses his gratitude towards the Turkish government. The final words in the video visibly move him: “I think this is a great opportunity for cave exploration to demonstrate how well international cooperation can work. I hope to see many people from different countries. We take care of our own people. And that’s truly something special.”
He knows that a difficult journey still awaits him. If everything goes smoothly, Dickey is expected to see daylight again on Tuesday or Wednesday. However, some experts also mention the possibility of several weeks.