A United States researcher who became trapped about 1,000 metres (3,000 feet) underground in a cave in southeastern Turkey has been moved closer to the surface, as emergency crews continue to work to free him.

The Speleological Federation of Turkey said on Monday that Mark Dickey, a 40-year-old who became trapped after experiencing gastrointestinal bleeding nine days ago, had been moved to 180 metres (590 feet) below the surface.

The rescue operation will continue after Dickey rests, the federation said in a post on social media.

“If everything goes well, it is aimed to rescue Mark completely by tonight or tomorrow,” it said.

Dickey was on an international exploration expedition in the Morca cave in Mersin province’s Taurus mountains – Turkey’s third deepest cave – when he began suffering from gastrointestinal bleeding at a depth of 1,040 metres (3,400 feet).