Technical dives were conducted in Suluin Cave in Finike district of Antalya. A depth of 117 meters was reached during these dives. Previously unexplored sections of the cave were investigated. Following the work, an uninterrupted guide line was laid from the reached point to the surface. This line created a safe route for future teams entering the cave.

The operations were carried out between August 10-16 under the coordination of the Finike District Governorship. In addition to public institutions, volunteer search and rescue teams, the Karadeniz Divers Sports Club, and instructors from the Gelibolu Technical Diving Center participated. Dives in the cave, initially aimed at exploring up to 175 meters deep, were conducted gradually for safety reasons.

Each dive prepared the next stage

The work in Suluin was planned in successive stages rather than aiming to reach the greatest possible depth in a single dive. Information obtained from each dive was used to determine the objectives and safety conditions of the subsequent operation.

Alper Burak Küçükkaramıklı, an instructor at Sona Underwater Technologies and a member of the dive team, stated that after obtaining official permits, they had the opportunity to re-explore and document the cave.

Küçükkaramıklı, stating that they explored all accessible parts of the cave, said, “Going to the very end of the cave, laying our own guide line, and leaving a plate behind gave us an extremely great sense of satisfaction because no one else had gone to that point before us.”

Special breathing gases used at depth

One of the technically notable aspects of the work was the breathing gases used in deep dives. Hydrogen was added to the breathing gases to reduce the risk of high-pressure nervous syndrome that can occur in mixtures with a high helium content.

A special mixture of helium, hydrogen, and oxygen was also used during the research. The team noted that there was no publicly available record of this mixture being used in a dive in Turkey before.

In addition to closed-circuit trimix systems, various experimental gas mixtures and technical equipment were also tested. The dives allowed for the testing of new procedures under challenging cave conditions.

Search and rescue teams worked in the cave environment

The Suluin research was not planned solely as an effort to explore unknown parts of the cave. Training and exercises were also conducted to develop the skills of public institutions and civilian search and rescue teams in confined space diving.

Rıza Birkan, President of the Karadeniz Divers Sports Club and leader of the search and rescue team, stated that the collaboration of teams from different disciplines was one of the important elements of the operation. During the operations, coordination and search and rescue capabilities were also tested under challenging confined space conditions.

Ali Şener, a dive instructor and member of the underwater imaging team, stated that Turkish divers reaching previously unexplored sections of the cave with their own knowledge and technical capabilities is important in demonstrating the level technical diving has reached in Turkey.

Suluin's underwater world captured on camera

In the final part of the research, underwater footage was also captured to document the cave's natural structure. The aim was for the images of the sections reached by the divers to be used not only in scientific and technical studies but also in promoting the region.

Murathan Yıldız, an instructor at the Gelibolu Technical Diving Center, said, "In these dives, we not only reached the deepest point of the cave but also captured beautiful images throughout our dives. We want everyone who follows these efforts to see these beauties, not just us."

Suluin Cave in Finike has once again come to the forefront as one of the areas showcasing a different tourism potential for Antalya, thanks to both its advanced technical diving and search and rescue operations and its hidden underwater natural structure. Visual: © Image generated with artificial intelligence