American cave explorer Mark Dickey, who was rescued after being trapped underground in southern Turkey for 11 days, stated that he is "lucky to be alive" despite suffering from gastrointestinal bleeding during his ordeal, while he was 1040 meters below the surface.
Dickey said, "I am really lucky to still be alive. It was a tough time. I will definitely continue to explore caves. There are always risks in all aspects of life, and this time the medical emergency that occurred was completely unexpected."
He added, "Will I return to Morca Cave? I would like to complete my research."
Rescue teams were able to save Dickey on Tuesday after he became ill in Morca Cave in the Taurus Mountains of Mersin Province. He was taken to Mersin City Hospital for treatment.
