US Goa Searcher Rescued After Being Caught At A Depth Of 1,000 Meters Over A Week

Mark Dickey. (Capture the CBS News YouTube channel)

JAKARTA - A cave tracer from the United States who was trapped at a depth of more than 1,000 meters underground in southern Turkey after falling ill, was rescued on Tuesday, the Turkish Caving Federation (TUMAF) said, after days-long international rescue operations.

Mark Dickey, 40, is on an international exploration mission in the Morca Cave of the Taurus Mountains, Mersin Province, Turkey, when he reportedly began to experience bleeding of the digestive tract at a depth of 1,040 meters.

"Dickey has been removed from the cave's last exit," TUMAF wrote on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.

"Thus, the operation to save the cave has ended successfully. We congratulate all those who have contributed!" he added.

The Italian rescue team said Dickey was taken to a medical tent in the camp for examination.

Dickey's international operations from Turkey's third deepest cave involved more than 150 rescue teams from Turkey, Croatia, Italy, and other countries for nine days.

Footage from previous stages of surgery showed Dickey lying in the cave and receiving treatment from the medical team. Footage also shows other teams moving down the cave with ropes and passing through narrow halls.

Carl Heitmeyer of the Early Response Team of New Jersey, a group led by Dickey, confirmed to BBC News. The cave explorer was rescued and he thanked all those involved in the operation.

Dickey said he thought he would not survive the trials, after his condition worsened.

"The only feeling I have is, 'will I live?' It really crossed my head, I was like 'This is a bell curve'. Really, I'm crazy if it's like that," he told reporters, as quoted by the BBC.

Dickey was leading the team to map out the new parts of the cave, when he started suffering from gastrointestinal bleeding on September 2.

He has been leading an expedition to the Morca Cave since late August, according to the Hungarian Cave Rescue Service, which also assisted the operation.

His condition improved after being given a blood transfusion. He was then tied to a stretcher and slowly taken out.

This evacuation process involves navigation through narrow stone tunnels and explosives must be used at narrowest points, according to CBS, a partner of the BBC in the US.

Coming from New Jersey, Dickey is said to be an experienced cave explorer with more than 20 years of experience.

He has been an instructor at the US National Cave Rescue Commission for 10 years, teaching various cave rescue classes. He is also listed as the Coordinator of the International Exchange Program on his website.