Mark Dickey, 40, has been trapped in the Morca Valley, the third deepest cave in Turkey since Saturday. The American researcher was exploring the Morca cave system when he fell ill with a gastrointestinal hemorrhage that prevented him from leaving the cave on his own.
Last Saturday, September 2, the European Rescue Association (ECRA) received a call to inform that a member of the expedition in Vale de Morca fell ill in the camp. 1040m altitude in the cave.complaining of severe gastric pain, reports ECRA.
Open cross section of the Cueva de Morca. Mark currently resides at the campsite 1040 meters from the entrance. It takes an experienced spelunker about 15 hours to reach the surface under ideal conditions. The cave features narrow, winding passages and several rappels. pic.twitter.com/yP2almvEDf
— Türkiye Mağaracılık Federasyonu (@tumaf1) September 5, 2023
A Hungarian rescue team, accompanied by a doctor, reached Mark the next day and provided him with the first medical care.
Rescue operations involve approx. 150 rescuers, reports SIC News. Due to complexity This operation brought together teams from Turkey, Hungary, Bulgaria, Croatia, Italy and the United States.
The Turkish Federation of Speleology reported in the social network X (formerly Twitter) that this would be a long term operation since “they are accurate 15 hours for experienced cavers to reach the depth where Mark is.”
In a video shared by Turkey’s communication department, Mark Dickey says that “the world of caving is a tight-knit group and it’s amazing” and appreciates “the number of people who have responded to the surface.”
The New York Post indicates that Dickey’s removal from the cave is expected to begin over the weekend. The narrow corridors of the caves are being widened to accommodate a stretcher.
Mark’s health continues to improve. The investigator can now walk, even with assistance. The doctors will decide if it is possible to remove it without a table.
Source: Observadora
