US caver rescued after days-long climb from 1,000 metres deep in Turkish cave

Italian Alpine rescuers (CNSAS) carry U.S. caver Mark Dickey on stretcher as part of a rescue operation in Morca Cave in Mersin province, southern Turkey September 11, 2023. Italian Alpine Rescue/Handout via REUTERS

MERSIN, Turkey (Reuters) -An American caver who had become trapped more than 1,000 metres (3,300 ft) underground in southern Turkey after falling ill was rescued early on Tuesday, Turkey's TUMAF caving federation said, after a days-long international rescue operation.

Mark Dickey, 40, was on an international exploration mission in the Morca cave in Mersin province's Taurus mountains, when he reportedly began suffering from gastrointestinal bleeding at a depth of 1,040 metres.