Mark Dickey Successfully Extracted from Cave in Taurus Mountains, Turkey, After Falling Ill at 3,280 Feet Below Ground

TAURUS MOUNTAINS, Turkey – American explorer Mark Dickey has been successfully rescued after a harrowing ordeal in a cave within the Taurus Mountains of Turkey. Dickey, who fell ill while exploring the cave at a depth of over 3,280 feet, spent more than a week trapped underground before his dramatic rescue.

The Turkish Caving Federation confirmed that the 40-year-old explorer was safely extricated from the cave’s final exit around 12:37 a.m. local time on Tuesday. Dickey’s ordeal began when he experienced stomach bleeding on September 2, prompting an international rescue effort.

The Turkish Caving Federation expressed gratitude to all involved in the rescue operation and announced, “Thus, the cave rescue part of the operation has ended successfully.”

When Dickey initially fell ill, fellow members of his expedition sought assistance from the European Cave Rescue Association to obtain medication, hoping he could climb out of the cave independently. However, as his condition deteriorated, international help became imperative.

On September 3, a Hungarian rescue team managed to reach Dickey deep within the cave, providing crucial medical care, fresh blood, and fluids. Over the ensuing days, teams from Turkey, Poland, Italy, Croatia, and Bulgaria joined the mission, bringing together a total of 190 doctors, paramedics, and cave experts from eight countries.

Rescuers achieved a significant breakthrough on Monday, successfully relocating Dickey to a point 590 feet below the surface. The day before, he had been transported to a temporary camp situated at 2,300 feet below ground.

Dickey and several companions were engaged in an expedition to map the Morca cave system on behalf of the Anatolian Speleology Group Association.

The Morca cave, at a depth of 4,186 feet, ranks as Turkey’s third-deepest cave, according to the Speleology Federation of Turkey. Rescue missions from such extreme depths are exceptionally rare and extraordinarily challenging, demanding the expertise of highly experienced cave rescuers.

In a video message recorded from the 3,280-foot level earlier, Dickey expressed his gratitude, acknowledging, “I do know that the quick response of the Turkish government to get the medical supplies that I need, in my opinion, saved my life.”

Dickey serves as the secretary of the European Cave Rescue Association’s medical committee and is a well-known figure within the international speleological community. He possesses extensive cave exploration and rescue experience.

While the precise cause of Dickey’s illness remains unclear, his parents, Debbie and Andy Dickey, shared their relief that their son was in stable condition following the rescue. They expressed immense gratitude to the rescue team, Turkish authorities, and the global caving community for their unwavering support.

Throughout the rescue mission, doctors and rescuers established temporary camps within the cave’s passages, deploying ropes to facilitate Dickey’s extraction via stretcher. His condition improved with the assistance of the dedicated rescue team.

A video released by Turkish authorities last week depicted Dickey standing and moving around, though he acknowledged needing help to exit the cave, emphasizing that he was not “healed on the inside.” He expressed heartfelt thanks to the caving community and Turkish authorities for their relentless efforts in his rescue.