The condition of American caver Mark Dickey, stranded in the Morca cave in southern Turkiye, has deteriorated, Cave Rescue Bulgaria (CRB) reported on its Facebook page on Friday evening.
Dickey suffered another hemorrhage and loss of consciousness. Blood was transfused and he has been stabilized again, but his extraction should start as soon as possible, CRB pointed out.
Turkish and international teams, including a total of 19 Bulgarian rescuers, are involved in the operation to save the American speleologist. Forty-year-old Dickey has been stranded at a depth of 1,040 metres in the Morca cave in the Taurus Mountains since September 2, having suffered a gastrointestinal bleeding during an international expedition into the cave.
Morca is the third deepest cave in Turkiye.
All rope systems are ready to a depth of 700m. There are currently about 30 rescuers from several countries, including seven from Bulgaria, in these sections. The goal is to transfer Dickey to a depth of 680 metres where there is a large and comfortable camp. Just before it, however, there is a narrow section that will be difficult to pass with a stretcher.
“There are currently a total of 197 people on site [involved in the operation]. About 130 of them are cave rescuers. More are expected to arrive to speed up the work," CRB explained.
The rescue operation is one of the most complex ever carried out and which can happen at such a depth.
/MR/
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