Progress being made in mission to rescue Mark Dickey, Westchester County man trapped in cave in Turkey
TURKEY -- Major progress is being made in the mission to free a Westchester County man trapped underground in a Turkish cave.
Mark Dickey has been lifted over 1,000 feet, bringing him about halfway to the surface.
Dickey became trapped more than 3,000 feet underground on Sept. 2 after suffering gastrointestinal bleeding.
A Turkish rescue team says the experienced explorer is in good condition, but it could take several more days to get him out.
- Related story: Rescue teams begin extraction mission for Mark Dickey, Westchester County man trapped 3,000 feet down in cave in Turkey
"We have to do it very carefully because we cannot risk any conditions worsening of Mark, so we must pay attention meter after meter," said Giuseppe Conti, European Cave Rescue Association technical commission chairperson.
Nearly 200 people from eight different countries are all taking part in this operation.
Explosives are being used to widen the narrowest parts of the cave to allow a stretcher to pass through.
