Mark Dickey: US explorer saved after being trapped in one of the deepest Turkish cave

Rescuers pulled to safety US explorer Mark Dickey on Tuesday after he spent nine days trapped in a cave in Turkey.

The 40-year-old explorer became stuck after he developed stomach problems while examining the depths of the Morca Cave in the Taurus Mountains.

"Mark Dickey was removed from the last exit of the cave," the Turkish Caving Federation said.

It added that the "cave rescue part of the operation has ended successfully."

Nine-day rescue operation

More than 150 rescuers from Turkey, Croatia, Italy and other countries worked for nine days to rescue Dickey.

<

The US man who fell ill and became trapped in a cave he was exploring in Turkey spoke up from some 3,000 feet underground. Mark Dickey was on an international exploration mission in the Morca cave in the Taurus mountains when he began suffering gastrointestinal bleeding pic.twitter.com/uiYupdpu3H

— Reuters (@Reuters) September 8, 2023 >

Footage from previous phases of the operation showed Dickey lying inside the cave and receiving treatment by a medical team after he reportedly suffered gastrointestinal bleeding.

Rescuers had to first widen some of the cave's narrow passages, install ropes to pull Duckey up vertical shafts on a stretcher, and set up temporary camps along the way.

<

Search teams shared video footage from inside the deep Turkish cave in which American explorer Mark Dickey was trapped for days. Fresh images show the rescuers carrying Dickey, trussed up on a stretcher for his safety https://t.co/ET76Nr5RjQ pic.twitter.com/MLrjuSa68p

— Reuters (@Reuters) September 11, 2023 >

The explorer's parents, Debbie and Andy Dickey, thanked the international caving community, doctors, rescuers and the Turkish government for helping rescue their son.

"The fact that our son, Mark Dickey, has been moved out of Morca Cave in stable condition is indescribably relieving and fills us with incredible joy," they said in a statement.

Who is Mark Dickey?

Dickey was part of a team mapping the 1,276-meter (4,186-foot) deep Morca cave system for the Anatolian Speleology Group Association.

On Thursday, Turkish authorities released a video of Dickey inside the cave standing and talking.

However, he said he was not "healed on the inside" and needed help to get out.

Dickey is a well-known cave researcher from New York. He is also a cave rescuer himself who has participated in many international expeditions.

(Photo: Italian Alpine Rescue)