In his first video since falling ill and becoming stuck in a Turkish cave, an American explorer thanked authorities for saving his life.
Mark Dickey, 40, who is described as an expert caver, was 3,400 feet below the surface in the Morca cave when he began suffering from gastrointestinal bleeding on Saturday.
“I was very close to the edge,” Mr Dickey said in a video obtained by The Associated Press.
Authorities in Turkey are working with a group of more than 150 international cave rescue experts to safely remove Mr Dickey from his location after he experienced the medical emergency.
Throughout the week, rescuers were able to send six units of blood and doctors to Mr Dickey. While his condition has improved, he may still need a stretcher to exit.
Rescuers began setting up rope lines on Wednesday as part of the effort, though it is unclear when they can begin the mission due to its extreme complexity.
The cave system is described as extremely narrow with many twists and turns, making it difficult to navigate. It typically takes a person in good health around 15 hours to exit.