A US citizen, Mark Dickey, who spent more than a week stuck at the bottom of Turkey's Morca Cave, the country's third deepest cave, has been rescued. The complex underground rescue involved over 150 people and was one of the largest and most intricate ever undertaken. The base of the Morca Cave lies in a remote part of south-west Turkey and descends nearly 1.3 kilometres (0.8 miles) below ground at its lowest point.

The 45-year-old caver became ill with severe stomach problems while leading a team to map a new passage through the cave. He improved after receiving a blood transfusion, and he was carefully removed from the cave. This difficult rescue entailed negotiating tight rock tunnels and using explosives at narrow points.

Teams from countries like Croatia and Hungary joined Turkish teams in aid of the operation. Dickey’s fiancée, Jessica van Ord, even assisted on the rescue.

Dickey expressed his gratitude for their government's quick response and said that their medical supplies saved his life because they brought him dangerously close to the edge in a video he recorded inside the cave.

After thanking everyone from every corner of the caving community as well as the Turkish government for all their support, Dickey’s parents were overwhelmed with relief and joy.

This successful rescue not only showed the compassion and teamwork of people within the caving community but also showed how important it is to have proper training and competence when working underground in these difficult environments.