Turkish and international rescuers, including Bulgarian, are taking part in one of the largest cave rescue operation for in Southern Turkiye, Cave Rescue Bulgaria and the European Cave Rescue Association (ECRA) said on Thursday. American speleologist Mark Dickey has been stranded at a depth of 1,040 metres in the Morca Cave in Taurus Mountain since September 2, having fallen ill during an international expedition to the cave.
He had gastrointestinal bleeding and was unable to leave the cave on his own, ECRA explained.
After several days of treatment, the American researcher is already back on his feet and is expected to be able to leave the cave soon, Turkish media outlet Haberturk reported on Thursday.
Dickey was part of a team including four American, four Turkish, four Romanian and one Hungarian citizen conducting research in the cave. Dickey's colleagues reported the situation to authorities, at which point rescue teams were dispatched. Rescue teams were sent from Hungary, Bulgaria, Italy, Croatia and Poland.
Four rescuers from Cave Rescue Bulgaria arrived in the area on Monday, followed by two more groups of Bulgarian cave rescuers with a doctor and a paramedic - a total of 17 people, ECRA reported.
"Today is the fourth day of the action, and the sixth since the incident, for the rescue of the injured American speleologist Mark Dickey from Morca Cave, Turkiye," Cave Rescue Bulgaria wrote on its Facebook page.
"His condition is stable, and the bleeding has decreased, giving hope that stretcher removal can begin soon. He is still in camp at a depth of 1040 m under medical observation,” Cave Rescue Bulgaria added.
On September 6, about 35 more rescuers arrived from Croatia, Poland and Italy. The Bulgarian team of 17 people and about 10 from Hungary are already on the spot. More teams from different countries are ready to join in if needed, as this is one of the largest cave rescue operations. It will take days and may need more than 100 cave rescuers.
Eight of the Bulgarian participants went in on Wednesday to remove equipment, set up an underground camp for five people at 500 meters (depth) and run a telephone cable. Four others entered two days ago to remove blood banks and build a camp," Cave Rescue Bulgaria pointed out.
/RY/
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