ANKARA, Turkey — A serious rescue operation is underway in Turkey’s Taurus Mountains to carry out an American researcher who fell critically sick 9 days in the past at a depth of some 1,000 meters (3,000 ft) from the doorway of one of many world’s deepest caves. An skilled cave rescuer himself, Mark Dickey is being assisted by groups of worldwide rescuers who by Monday had introduced him to 100 meters (some 330 ft) from the floor.
Here’s what to know in regards to the caver and the rescue operation:
Dickey, a 40-year-old achieved cave explorer from Croton-on-Hudson, New York, was 1,040 meters (3,412 ft) from the doorway of the Morca Cave on an expedition, when he turned stricken with extreme abdomen bleeding on Sept. 2. There have been a number of different folks with him, together with three different Americans, on the mission to map the 1,276-meter (4,186-foot) deep cave system for the Anatolian Speleology Group Association.
In perilous situation, medical doctors, paramedics, and skilled cavers from Turkey and throughout Europe rushed to his rescue. One Hungarian physician went right down to deal with him at his location as early as Sept. 3. Doctors have administered IV fluids and 4 liters (1 gallon) of blood whereas he was nonetheless contained in the collapse a bid to stabilize his situation and pave the way in which for his rescue. Teams comprised of a health care provider and three to 4 different rescuers took turns staying by his aspect always.
The European Association of Cave Rescuers has described Dickey as “a highly trained caver and a cave rescuer himself” and well-known cave researcher, or speleologist. He is the secretary of the affiliation’s medical committee.
“Mark is the guy that should be on that rescue mission that’s leading and consulting, and for him to be the one that needs to be rescued is kind of a tragedy in and of itself,” mentioned Justin Hanley, a 28-year-old firefighter from close to Dallas, Texas, who met Dickey throughout a cave rescue course the researcher taught in Hungary and Croatia.
The Morca Cave in southern Turkey’s Taurus Mountains is the nation’s third deepest, a really advanced system with many vertical shafts and some horizontal sections.
The greatest challenges the rescuers face are the steep vertical sections and navigating by way of mud and water at low temperatures within the horizontal sections. There can also be the psychological toll of staying inside a darkish, damp cave for prolonged durations of time, specialists have mentioned.
Temporary medical camps have been arrange alongside the tunnel to supply help and resting spots as Dickey is steadily extracted. The tunnel additionally wanted to be re-equipped with new ropes and a communication line needed to be drawn. Some slender cave passages wanted to be widened as Dickey was being moved up on a stretcher.
Gretchen Baker, the nationwide coordinator for the U.S.-based National Cave Rescue Commission, who has recognized Dickey for greater than 10 years, mentioned his expertise as a rescuer would assist him now.
“Because of his experience teaching and doing these rescues, he understands exactly what is ahead of him,” Baker mentioned, including that whereas it isn’t simple to be tied to the stretcher, Dickey personally is aware of among the rescuers from Europe.
“He also knows that the people that are rescuing him are top-notch,” she mentioned. “They are such good cave rescuers.”
The Speleological Federation of Turkey mentioned Dickey reached the 100-meter mark Monday night after taking a relaxation at a brief camp at 180 meters.
Carl Heitmeyer of the New Jersey Initial Response Team mentioned Dickey may very well be out of the cave later Monday or on Tuesday.
After his preliminary therapy deep underground, medical doctors gave the go-ahead for the operation to start to carry Dickey to floor on Saturday, after they assessed he was properly sufficient to be moved. The American was first lifted from his location to a camp 700 meters from the floor, after which to the five hundred meters degree.
The operation entails stops in order that Dickey can recuperate at a number of medical camps which were arrange alongside the way in which.
The Italian National Alpine and Speleological Rescue mentioned Monday that Dickey acknowledged some sections of the cave and has reacted positively, understanding that he’s getting nearer to the exit.
Some 190 personnel from Turkey and eight different international locations are aiding within the rescue effort: Italy, Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Poland, Albania, and the United States.
More than 150 of them are specialists within the area of search and rescue.
Last week, Dickey thanked the caving neighborhood and the Turkish authorities for his or her efforts in a video message from contained in the cave.
“The caving world is a really tight-knit group and it’s amazing to see how many people have responded on the surface,” mentioned Dickey. “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. I was very close to the edge.”
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Robert Badendieck and Ayse Wieting in Istanbul, Cinar Kiper in Bodrum, Turkey, Mike Catalini in Trenton, New Jersey and Patricia Thomas in Rome contributed.
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