Thailand: All 13 out safe and well after 17 days in cave

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Thailand cave rescue: Boys found alive after nine days

Twelve boys and their football coach missing in caves in Thailand for nine days have been found by divers, in a drama that has gripped the nation.

They were discovered by two British divers on a ledge in a cavern after a marathon search operation in the Tham Luang caves in Chiang Rai.

The challenge now will be to extract the party safely, with rising water and mud impeding access.

Families of the missing group were ecstatic at news of the rescue.

Rescuers had hoped they would find safety on a ledge in an underground chamber nicknamed Pattaya Beach but they were found 400m (440 yards) away having moved to higher ground to avoid the rising water.

How did they find them?

The two British rescuers are believed to be Rick Stanton and John Volanthen, who arrived in Thailand early last week.

It took them several hours to reach the group on Monday.

In video posted on Facebook by Thai Navy SEAL special forces, one can be heard speaking in English to the group, as they sit on a ledge above water in a cavern, picked out by torchlight.

"How many of you?" the rescuer asks.

"Thirteen!" comes the reply.

"Thirteen? Brilliant!"

The group appear to ask when they will be taken to safety and one of the unseen rescuers replies: "Not today. There's two of us. We have to dive. We are coming. OK? Many people are coming. We are the first."

One of the boys is heard to say: "Eat, eat, eat, tell them we are hungry."

When the group, whose voices are indistinct, ask what day it is, the divers pause, then one replies, "Monday, Monday. You have been here... 10 days. You are very strong."

The divers explain that they have to leave but will be back.

"Thank you so much," says one of the huddled group. "Where you come from?"

"England. The UK."

"Oh. See you tomorrow."

The group's plight has gripped the country and led to an outpouring of support.

The boys aged 11 to 16 and their coach went to explore the caves on 23 June.

An uplifting breakthrough
By Jonathan Head, BBC News, Tham Luang

There are scenes of jubilation here at the cave entrance - drowned out by the generators powering the water pumps and filling the air tanks for the dozens of divers whose persistence in the toughest of underground conditions has paid off.

Family members celebrate while camping out near Than Luang cave following news all members of children's football team and their coach were alive in the cave at Khun Nam Nang,

Now the authorities must figure out how to extract them. The first priority is to get them medical treatment and food where they are, to rebuild their strength.

The whole country has watched every stage of this operation, holding its breath for what seemed an increasingly unlikely happy ending.

They are not out yet but this is an uplifting breakthrough after the Thai government threw everything it could at the effort to save these boys' lives.

Who are the 13?

Group of teenage boys with coach Image copyright Facebook/ekatol
Image caption A Facebook photo shows the coach with some of the missing children

The 12 boys are members of the Moo Pa - or Wild Boar - football team.

Their 25-year-old assistant coach, Ekkapol Janthawong, is known to have occasionally taken them out on day trips - including a trip to the same cave two years ago.

The youngest member, Chanin "Titan" Wibrunrungrueang, is 11 - he started playing football aged seven.

Duangpet "Dom" Promtep, 13, is the team captain and said to be the motivator of the group.

Tinnakorn Boonpiem, whose 12-year-old son Mongkol is among the 13, told AFP news agency near the caves she was "so glad" to hear they were safe.

"I want to him to be physically and mentally fit," she said.

"I'm so happy I can't put it into words," another relative of one of one of the group told reporters as tears of joy streamed down his cheeks.
What challenges lie ahead?

"They are all safe but the mission is not completed," Chiang Rai governor Narongsak Osottanakorn told a press conference at the command centre at the cave entrance.

"Our mission is to search, rescue and return. So far we just found them. Next mission is to bring them out from the cave and send them home."

The governor said they would continue to drain water out of the cave while sending doctors and nurses to dive into the cave to check the health of the boys and their coach.

"If the doctors say their physical condition is strong enough to be moved, they will take them out from the cave," he said. "We will look after them until they can return to school."

Edd Sorenson, a regional co-ordinator in Florida for the International Underwater Cave Rescue and Recovery Organisation, advises against trying to get the party out through the flooded caves using scuba gear.

"That is extremely dangerous and hazardous, and I would consider that an absolute last resort," he told the BBC.

"Having somebody in zero visibility that's not familiar with ... that kind of extreme conditions, it's real easy and very likely that they would panic, and either kill themselves and or the rescuers.

"So at this point, you know, I think they would be better off bringing in food, water, filtration systems, oxygen if the air space needs it and requires it, and at least they have lights and hope now, so I think waiting it out, as long as they can get supplies in there to make them comfortable and warm and fed and hydrated."

More than 1,000 people have already been involved in the operation, including teams from China, Myanmar, Laos, Australia and the US, as well as Britain.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-44688909

It makes a lovely change to read about people from various countries coming together to rescue children

It is sad that normally countries only come together and form coalitions in order to bomb innocent people

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Thai cave rescue teams to decide which children will swim for their lives

Thai cave rescue teams prepare to decide which trapped children will swim for their lives - and who will stay behind

Official overseeing the rescue says 'all 13 may not come out at the same time'
Authorities will evaluate their readiness and if there is any risk will not proceed
Earlier, the boys, aged 11 to 16, said they are healthy in a newly released video
The boys and their coach, 25, disappeared in Chiang Rai province on June 23
They were found nine days later by rescue divers nine late on Monday night

Thai officials are preparing to decide which of the boys trapped in a flooded cave will swim for their lives - and which will stay behind.

Chiang Rai provincial governor Narongsak Osatanakorn, who is overseeing the rescue of the youth football team and their coach, has said that 'all 13 may not come out at the same time.'

He said authorities will evaluate their readiness each day and if there is any risk will not proceed.

'If the condition is right and if that person is ready 100%, he can come out,' he added.

Earlier, the boys, aged 11 to 16, said they are healthy in a newly released video.

Thai officials are preparing to decide which of the boys trapped in a flooded cave will swim for their lives - and which will stay behind. Pictured, the boys

The 12 boys and their coach are seen sitting with Thai Navy Seals in the dark cave with their visibly skinny faces illuminated by the beam of a flashlight.

The boys, many wrapped in foil warming blankets, take turns introducing themselves, folding their hands together in a traditional greeting and saying their names and that they are healthy.

The video, lasting about a minute, was recorded some time on Tuesday and was posted on the Navy Seal Facebook page on Wednesday morning.

The boys and their 25-year-old coach disappeared after they went exploring in the Tham Luang Nang Non cave in northern Chiang Rai province after a football game on June 23.

The teammates, who were trapped inside when heavy rains flooded the cave, were found by rescue divers late on Monday night.

A desperate search for them drew assistance from experts around the globe, including British divers Rick Stanton and John Volanthen, who were the first rescuers to reach the group.

Authorities said the boys, who had also been shown on Tuesday in a video shot by the British divers, were being looked after by seven members of the Thai Navy Seals, including medics, who were staying with them inside the cave.

They were mostly in stable condition and have received high-protein drinks.

Workers bring supplies for the trapped boys, who were trapped inside when heavy rains flooded the cave

Seal commander Rear Admiral Arpakorn Yookongkaew said there was no rush to bring the group out of the cave, since they are safe where they are.

The current flooding situation means the boys would have to dive, which rescue experts have said could be extremely dangerous.

While efforts to pump out floodwaters are continuing, some Thai officials have indicated that heavy rains forecast for this weekend could force them to decide the boys should swim and dive out using the same complicated route through which their rescuers entered.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... lives.html

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I am sure that later some will make a movie about that story.

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Ex-navy diver dies on oxygen supply mission

A former Thai navy diver has died while taking part in efforts to rescue 12 boys and their football coach trapped in a flooded cave in Thailand.

Petty Officer Saman Gunan lost consciousness on his way out of the Tham Luang cave complex, where he had been delivering air tanks.

The boys have been trapped for nearly two weeks in a chamber in the cave.

They ventured in while the cave was dry but were caught out by a sudden deluge of rain, which flooded the system.

The group was found by British rescue divers after 10 days in the cave, perched on a rock shelf in a small chamber about 4km (2.5 miles) from the cave mouth.

Teams of Thai and international divers have since supplied them with food, oxygen and medical attention, but there are mounting concerns about the oxygen level in the chamber, which officials said had fallen to 15%. The usual level is 21%.

On the surface, a huge military and civilian rescue operation is racing against the clock to bring the boys to safety. Heavy monsoon rains are expected on Sunday, threatening further flooding.

Officials had initially considered leaving the boys in the chamber to wait out the rainy season - which could have seen them trapped there for up to four months.

But Thailand's Navy Seal commander suggested on Thursday that the divers may now have little choice but to attempt a daring emergency rescue - fraught with danger for the boys, who are aged 11 to 16 and some of whom cannot swim.

"At first, we thought the children could stay for a long time... but now things have changed, we have a limited time," Rear Admiral Apakorn Yookongkaew said.

A death in the cave

The death of Saman - a highly trained diver - on Thursday underscored the danger of moving from the chamber to mouth of the cave, and raised serious doubts about the safety of bringing the boys out through the cramped, flooded passageways.

The diver died after losing consciousness in one of the passageways, said Passakorn Boonyaluck, deputy governor of the Chiang Rai region, where the cave is situated.

"His job was to deliver oxygen. He did not have enough on his way back," Mr Passakorn said.

He said that Saman's dive partner tried to revive him but could not, and his body was brought out of the cave.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-44734385

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I told you : it has the scenario of a drama movie.

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'Four-day window' for boys to escape

Teams have a three to four-day window to save 12 Thai boys and their football coach from a cave where they have been trapped for two weeks, according to the leader of the rescue efforts.

Narongsak Osottanakorn said conditions were currently "perfect".

There is concern that monsoon rains could follow, further flooding the narrow passages.

The boys were exploring the cave when they and their football coach became trapped by rising waters on 23 June.

Rescue divers have since been able to take them food, oxygen and medical assistance, while a huge international team works on a plan to free them.

"Now and in the next three or four days, the conditions are perfect [for evacuation] in terms of the water, the weather and the boys' health," said Mr Narongsak, governor of the Chiang Rai province, where the caves are.

"We have to make a clear decision on what we can do."

There was a short burst of heavy rain on Saturday night after he spoke, and it is unclear whether this will have affected the plans.

Earlier in the day, the Thai Navy Seals released the letters the boys sent to their families, via rescue divers, reassuring them.

"Don't worry, we are all strong," one child said in a note. "Teacher, don't give us lots of homework!" he joked.
Letter

Another wrote: "Nick loves Mum and Dad and siblings. If I can get out, Mum and Dad please bring me mookatha [Thai barbecue] to eat."

The football coach who took the boys into the cave apologised to parents, but several of them have said they do not blame him.
What is the plan?

A huge military and civilian operation is racing against the clock to bring the group out amid high risks.

The danger of the situation became clear when a former Thai navy diver died after delivering air tanks to the group on Friday.

The boys are currently perched on a dry shelf, but rain could reduce that space to "less than 10 sq m (108 sq ft)", Mr Narongsak said.

Media playback is unsupported on your device
Media captionDr Alex Rowe explains the impact of being trapped underground

Officials say an oxygen line has been installed to counteract the increased carbon dioxide that comes from so many people breathing within such a small area.

Bore holes have also been drilled into the rock to try to drain water out and give the boys more time.

It has previously been said that they could be underground for months, either learning to dive or waiting for the water to recede or be pumped out.

Media playback is unsupported on your device
Media captionHeavy rain is not expected until late in the week in the area where the boys are trapped in a cave

Earlier on Saturday, Mr Narongsak said the boys had not yet learned the diving skills to allow for their safe passage.

The ideal scenario is for enough water to have been pumped out to allow them to climb out.

Mr Narongsak has not specified the course of action for these next few crucial days.
How did this happen?

The boys were found inside the cave by British rescue divers on Monday, about 4km (2.5 miles) from the cave mouth.

Aged between 11 and 16, they belong to a football club called the Wild Boars, and became trapped during an excursion with their coach.

It took ten days to find them in the underground network's dark depths.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-44754335

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It started today.

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/07/08/operati ... tarts.html

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Four boys freed but rest must wait

The operation to free 12 boys and their coach trapped in a cave in northern Thailand is running "smoothly", the head of the operation says.

Four boys have been brought above ground so far in good health, rescuers say.

The mission has now been paused for at least 10 hours as air tanks need to be replaced.

Rescuers decided to go ahead with the hazardous operation on Sunday because of fears of rising waters.

The next phase would begin on Monday morning, after relaying "all of the air tanks and all systems along the way", Chiang Rai Governor Narongsak Osottanakorn said.

He corrected earlier reports that said six boys had been freed.

Divers have been guiding the boys through darkness and submerged passageways towards the mouth of the Tham Luang cave system. They have reportedly been able to make the last part on foot.

Rescuers took advantage of a break in the rain to launch the mission much earlier than originally expected.

The first phase has also been conducted much faster than officials had predicted.

The group and their families had all given their agreement that they should be moved as soon as possible, said Mr Narongsak.

What is happening at the cave?

A team of 90 expert divers - 40 from Thailand and 50 from overseas - has been working in the cave system.

Getting to and from where the boys are has been an exhausting round trip, even for the experienced divers.

The process includes a mixture of walking, wading, climbing and diving along guide ropes already in place.

Wearing full-face masks, which are easier for novice divers than traditional respirators, each boy is being accompanied by two divers, who also carry his air supply.

The toughest section is about halfway out at a section named "T-Junction", which is so tight the divers have to take off their air tanks to get through.

Beyond that a cavern - called Chamber 3 - has been turned into a forward base for the divers.

There the boys can rest before making the last, easier walk out to the entrance. They are then taken to hospital in Chiang Rai.

In an indication of how dangerous the journey can be, a former Thai navy diver died in the caves earlier this week. Saman Gunan was returning from a mission to provide the group with air tanks.

He lost consciousness and could not be revived. His colleagues said they would "not let the sacrifice of our friend go to waste".
Sense of remaining unease

BBC's Nick Beake at the scene

This is a hugely high-profile rescue attempt and Thailand knows the world is watching. It has embarked on a dangerous option but believes it's the best for bringing the group out alive.

It has assembled a team of internationally renowned divers and so far their expertise has brought four boys - thought to be the weakest - back to their families.

But the relief of those mums and dads will be tempered by the knowledge that nine other families face an anxious wait for the turn of their loved ones to be shepherded through the narrow and murky corridors of the Tham Luang cave complex.

As one diving expert put it to me, when underwater cave rescues go wrong they go wrong in a big way. So despite this promising start, there is a sense of unease here in Chiang Mai. But the overriding impression from the rescuers is a clear focus and unshakable resolve to finish the job.

Who are the boys and their coach?

Chanin Vibulrungruang, 11 (Nickname: Titan) - started playing football aged seven
Panumas Sangdee, 13 (Nickname: Mig), wrote to his parents: "The Navy Seals are taking good care of me"
Duganpet Promtep, 13 (Nickname: Dom) - captain of the Wild Boars, reportedly scouted by several Thai professional clubs
Somepong Jaiwong, 13 (nickname: Pong) - reportedly dreams of playing for the Thai national team
Mongkol Booneiam, 13 (nickname: Mark) - described by his teacher as a "very respectful and good child"
Nattawut Takamrong, 14 (nickname: Tern) - told his parents not to worry about him
Ekarat Wongsukchan, 14 (nickname: Bew) - promised his mother he would help her at the shop once he was rescued
Adul Sam-on, 14 - member of a volleyball team that came second in the North Thailand-wide tournament
Prajak Sutham, 15 (nickname: Note) - described by family friends as a "smart, quiet guy"
Pipat Pho, 15 (nickname: Nick) - wrote in his letter he wanted his parents to take him for barbecued food once rescued
Pornchai Kamluang, 16 (nickname: Tee) - told his parents "don't worry, I'm very happy"
Peerapat Sompiangjai, 17 (nickname: Night) - it was his birthday the day the boys went missing, and his parents have told him they are still waiting to hold his birthday party
Assistant coach Ekapol Chantawong (nickname Ake), 25 - apologised in his letter to the parents, but they replied that they did not blame him

How did the group get there?

The boys were found inside the cave by British rescue divers on Monday, about 4km (2.5 miles) from the cave mouth.

Aged between 11 and 17, they belong to a football club called the Wild Boars, and became trapped during an excursion with their coach.

It took nine days to find them in the underground network's dark depths.
Race against the rain

Officials had originally thought the group might have to stay where they were until the rainy season ended - and that could have meant months underground.

They had also been exploring whether they could drill down into the cave, as well as scouring the mountainside for another way in.

But with the rainy season just beginning, it has become clear that the flooding which originally trapped the boys will only get worse in the coming days.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-44757804

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EIGHTH BOY carried out on stretcher as operation HALTED - 4 left inside

Witnesses saw a person - revealed to be the fifth child saved - being carried out from the cave at about 10.30am BST (4.30pm local time).

Two hours later, three more children were carried out on stretchers bringing the total rescued to eight. There are four boys left inside the cave, as well as their coach.

The first four boys, rescued yesterday, are in good health and demanding fried rice in hospital, the head of the rescue team said.

An operation to rescue the 'Wild Boars' football team and their soccer coach resumed on Monday, with a race against time before more heavy rain waters make the conditions more dangerous.

Footage shown on Thai TV stations showed the ambulance carrying the fifth boy away from the site and towards a helicopter. The aircraft then flew to a hospital at Chiang Rai - where the other boys are already being treated.

Thai volunteers were seen cheering the ambulance.

Four members of the Wild Boars team remain inside the Tham Luang cave.

Doctors told the team of Thai and international divers the weakest boys must be brought out first, reversing a previous policy which said the strongest would be saved first.

The rescue mission was stood down at nightfall to allow officials to replenish oxygen supplies, and has again stood down tonight to begin again tomorrow.

Thirteen foreign divers and five members of Thailand's elite navy SEAL unit guided the boys to safety through narrow, submerged passageways that claimed the life of a former Thai navy diver on Friday.

Divers need at least 10 hours to complete the next stage of the operation today. There are 90 divers helping the rescue, including seven Britons. A total of 50 are from foreign coutries.

Thailand cave rescue workers carry a boy to a helicopterREUTERS•AFP•GETTY
Thailand cave rescue workers carry a boy to a helicopter in an earlier rescue

The head of the rescue operation, Narongsak Osottanakorn, said of those recovered already: "The four children are fine. The children complained that they were hungry and wanted holy basil stir-fried rice."

The rescued boys appear “tired but healthy” an official said.

Interior Minister Anupong Paochinda also said the boys were in good health. He did not give further details.

Officials have yet to confirm the identities of the four boys freed. Narongsak on Monday said their identities were being protected out of respect for the families of those still trapped inside the cave.

Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha is due to visit the site of the Thum Luang cave this afternoon to meet parents and relatives of the football team.

Meanwhile volunteers are testing alternative rescue plans in case the dive mission fails.

Pairojana Toontong is testing whether an inflatable nylon-canvas tube is strong enough to cope with the sharp rocks inside the winding subterranean passages of the Than Luang caves.

His daighter Sthpanik said: “We are only a plan C or a plan D.

“We hope that our plan will not be required."

The four boys, rescued on Sunday, were flown by helicopter from the Tham Luang cave to the Chiang Rai Prachanukroh hospital, located at the heart of Chiang Rai province, about 70 km (40 miles) away.

Bursts of heavy monsoon rain soaked the Tham Luang Cave area in northern Chiang Rai province on Sunday and storms were expected in coming weeks, increasing the risks in what has been called a "war with water and time" to save the team.

The boys, aged between 11 and 16, went missing with their 25-year-old coach after soccer practice on June 23, setting out on an adventure to explore the cave complex near the border with Myanmar and celebrate a boy's birthday.

The team had earlier arrived at the cave to explore in good conditions on June 23. However, monsson rains soon saw them trapped.

https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/98 ... -stretcher

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They're all safe now. People can read the thread of the operation on The Guardian reporter's twitter account :

https://twitter.com/safimichael