LONDON -- The evacuation of an American caver trapped underground in Turkey continued overnight, as a rescue team carrying him on a stretcher passed through a rest camp about 1,000 feet underground, international caving officials said.

Mark Dickey, 40, has been trapped underground since Aug. 31, when he fell ill more than 3,400 feet below the surface, according to the New Jersey Initial Response Team, a group he leads.

A team that includes medical staff began an evacuation late last week, after his condition improved enough to move him, caving officials said.

"The stretcher with Mark reached the level -300m," or about 984 feet underground, the Hungarian Cave Rescue Service said in an update posted Monday morning.

Chairperson of ECRA Technical Commission Giuseppe Conti and Head of Turkey's Caving Federation Bulent Genc work on a map as they take part in a rescue operation to reach U.S. caver Mark Dickey near Anamur in Mersin province, southern Turkey, Sept. 10, 2023. Umit Bektas/Reuters

MORE: Evacuation now underway for American trapped 3,400 feet underground in cave

The team carrying the stretcher had passed a bivouac site about 500 meters, or 1,640 feet, below the surface about 12 hours earlier, the European Cave Rescue Association said.

"The medical status of the casualty is stable," the association had said in a statement on Sunday evening. "The next planned stop is at -300 m. The members of the different rescue teams are in a good physical condition."

A medical team takes care of American caver Mark Dickey, center, 40, inside the Morca cave near Anamur, southern Turkey, Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023. Marton Kovacs/Hungarian Cave Rescue Service via AP

Dickey's condition on Sunday was "very good," according to Tulga Sener, the medical coordinator for Turkey's Caving Federation.

"He has not had any bleeding or vomiting for at least 2 days," Sener said in a statement posted in Turkish on social media. "All vital signs, pulse, blood pressure, body temperature, state of consciousness, cooperation are all completely healthy."

When Dickey reaches the surface, he's expected to be examined at the scene by Turkish and foreign doctors, rescue officials said on Sunday. He'll then be flown via helicopter to a nearby hospital.

Rescuers work at the entrance of Morca Cave as they take part in a rescue operation to reach U.S. caver Mark Dickey who fell ill and became trapped some 3,280 ft underground, near Anamur in Mersin province, southern Turkey, Sept. 10, 2023. Umit Bektas/Reuters

Dickey had been assisting in the exploration of the cave when he "suddenly became ill with intestinal problems that rapidly progressed into life-threatening bleeding and vomiting," the New Jersey Initial Response Team said in a statement announcing the his situation. Dickey serves as the leader of that group, a collection of volunteers who specialize in cave and mine rescues.

The evacuation of Dickey was expected to be hindered by narrow passages "just big enough to crawl through," the group said. Demolition teams had been working to enlarge the path so his stretcher could reach the surface.

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