Eight boys rescued from Thai cave, 5 more to go - All you need to know about the rescue mission
The rescue operation was launched on Sunday and four boys were brought out that day. They were in good condition in hospital, officials said.
A fifth boy was brought out earlier on Monday, a navy official said, and three more were seen being brought out over subsequent hours.
That leaves four young soccer players and their 25-year-old coach trapped inside the mountain in northern Thailand.
But the head of the rescue operation would not confirm whether all five would come out on Tuesday night, raising questions over whether coach Ekkapol Chantawong could be left behind.
Narongsak Osottanakorn said in a press conference after Monday’s rescue that it will be up to the divers to decide whether it is possible to save all five on Tuesday.
He warned that “the plan is designed for rescuing four” and “for safety, the best number is four”.
The former governor of Chiang Rai province said he hoped for “100 per cent success” when the rescue resumes, with the mission again suspended for up to 20 hours.
The eight boys who have been rescued are “safe and conscious” in hospital, said Mr Narongsak.
The five people still stuck in Tham Luang cave have also been assessed as healthy by a doctor, who journeyed three kilometres through the cave complex to reach them.
The rescued boys were being kept in isolation, although Mr Narongsak said the authorities may allow the parents to see the boys.
A senior Thai officer said the rescue plan was reviewed after Sunday’s operation to make it “sharper”, with Monday’s evacuation completed around two hours faster than that of the day before.
Rescue teams re-entered the cave system at 11am local time on Monday. The fifth boy blinked into daylight at around 4.30pm, the sixth at around 6pm local time, and the seventh and eighth in quick succession at 7pm.
Those leading the effort have become increasingly upbeat, telling the media to expect “good news”.
The 12 young football players and their coach became trapped on a dank ledge in the dark chamber on June 23, after apparently entering as part of an initiation rite.
But with monsoon rains a constant threat, the rescue of the final five from the flooded cave complex is far from guaranteed.
Thailand
prime minister Prayut Chan-ocha visited the divers and rescue workers
at the cave site on Monday night to thank them for their efforts.
The same divers who brought the first four boys to safety on Sunday night went in again on Monday to save the next four, since they knew the terrain. It is unclear whether they will perform more rescues tomorrow.
The
perilous third rescue could be even more dangerous after heavy
monsoonal rains lashed the mountainous region. There are concerns rising
floodwaters in the cave complex could complicate rescue efforts and
affect the evacuation.
Officials said storms forecast for Chiang Rai province in Thailand’s far north had been factored into their decision to go ahead with a complicated and dangerous plan for the boys aged between 11 and 16 and their coach to dive out of the cave.
When British cave diving specialists found the boys, nine days after they vanished, they were cold, dishevelled and malnourished, with several suffering from exhaustion. But the arrival of monsoon rains has made it essential to immediately extract them.
How they were rescued
In a race against time amid a heavy downpour, experts concluded their original plan to swim the boys out was the best option.
Thirteen divers entered the cave at 10am Sunday local time — some heading straight for the trapped group and others taking up stations along the 3km system of flooded chambers.
Ten rescuers headed to the boys in chamber nine, and to the junction at chamber six, while the others went to support positions shortly afterwards.
Each boy was to wear a full scuba mask, wetsuit, boots and a helmet as they were accompanied by two divers through the cave.
They were to be strapped to a “buddy”, the leading diver, by a tether and dragged along.
This diver was to carry two tanks and share oxygen with the boy as the other followed them through the cold, murky water and airless chambers that have already claimed one life.
The foreign divers and five Thai divers entered the caves after an Australian doctor gave the all clear. Locals were required because none of the foreigners speak Thai and communication before and during the dive was key.
Additional rescue personnel, including divers from Thailand, the US, Australia, China and Europe, were stationed between the third chamber and the entrance, where the boys would have to use a rope to traverse challenging terrain.
Before the Thai rescuers went in, they posted a message on the navy’s Facebook page: “We, the Thai Navy SEALS, along with the international diver team, are ready to bring the soccer team home.”
WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT?
How quickly the remaining boys are moved out will depend on the conditions and water levels inside the cave, which are likely to rise with the rain. The operation could take up to four days to complete and “may stop and start depending on conditions,” Mr Narongsak said.
The cave complex is off-limits during the rainy season, which usually runs from May to October, when downpours can quickly flood it.
Relatives said the boys had been inside the labyrinthine complex during the dry season.
The fate of the boys and their coach has gripped Thailand and drawn international media attention.
The president of soccer’s governing body, FIFA, has invited the boys to the World Cup final in Moscow on Sunday if they make it out in time.
AUCorps
But the head of the rescue operation would not confirm whether all five would come out on Tuesday night, raising questions over whether coach Ekkapol Chantawong could be left behind.
Narongsak Osottanakorn said in a press conference after Monday’s rescue that it will be up to the divers to decide whether it is possible to save all five on Tuesday.
He warned that “the plan is designed for rescuing four” and “for safety, the best number is four”.
The former governor of Chiang Rai province said he hoped for “100 per cent success” when the rescue resumes, with the mission again suspended for up to 20 hours.
The eight boys who have been rescued are “safe and conscious” in hospital, said Mr Narongsak.
The five people still stuck in Tham Luang cave have also been assessed as healthy by a doctor, who journeyed three kilometres through the cave complex to reach them.
The rescued boys were being kept in isolation, although Mr Narongsak said the authorities may allow the parents to see the boys.
A senior Thai officer said the rescue plan was reviewed after Sunday’s operation to make it “sharper”, with Monday’s evacuation completed around two hours faster than that of the day before.
Rescue teams re-entered the cave system at 11am local time on Monday. The fifth boy blinked into daylight at around 4.30pm, the sixth at around 6pm local time, and the seventh and eighth in quick succession at 7pm.
The 12 young football players and their coach became trapped on a dank ledge in the dark chamber on June 23, after apparently entering as part of an initiation rite.
 |
| Officials said on Sunday evening that the rescue operation would go on hold for 10 to 20 hours while oxygen tanks are refilled. Picture: Thai Navy SEALs via Getty ImagesSource:Getty Images |
The same divers who brought the first four boys to safety on Sunday night went in again on Monday to save the next four, since they knew the terrain. It is unclear whether they will perform more rescues tomorrow.
Officials said storms forecast for Chiang Rai province in Thailand’s far north had been factored into their decision to go ahead with a complicated and dangerous plan for the boys aged between 11 and 16 and their coach to dive out of the cave.
When British cave diving specialists found the boys, nine days after they vanished, they were cold, dishevelled and malnourished, with several suffering from exhaustion. But the arrival of monsoon rains has made it essential to immediately extract them.
How they were rescued
In a race against time amid a heavy downpour, experts concluded their original plan to swim the boys out was the best option.
Thirteen divers entered the cave at 10am Sunday local time — some heading straight for the trapped group and others taking up stations along the 3km system of flooded chambers.
Ten rescuers headed to the boys in chamber nine, and to the junction at chamber six, while the others went to support positions shortly afterwards.
 |
| The cave has a series of extremely narrow ‘choke points’ for divers to negotiate, including a 38cm hole in the rocks they would have to squeeze through.Source:News Corp Australia |
They were to be strapped to a “buddy”, the leading diver, by a tether and dragged along.
This diver was to carry two tanks and share oxygen with the boy as the other followed them through the cold, murky water and airless chambers that have already claimed one life.
The foreign divers and five Thai divers entered the caves after an Australian doctor gave the all clear. Locals were required because none of the foreigners speak Thai and communication before and during the dive was key.
Additional rescue personnel, including divers from Thailand, the US, Australia, China and Europe, were stationed between the third chamber and the entrance, where the boys would have to use a rope to traverse challenging terrain.
Before the Thai rescuers went in, they posted a message on the navy’s Facebook page: “We, the Thai Navy SEALS, along with the international diver team, are ready to bring the soccer team home.”
How quickly the remaining boys are moved out will depend on the conditions and water levels inside the cave, which are likely to rise with the rain. The operation could take up to four days to complete and “may stop and start depending on conditions,” Mr Narongsak said.
The cave complex is off-limits during the rainy season, which usually runs from May to October, when downpours can quickly flood it.
Relatives said the boys had been inside the labyrinthine complex during the dry season.
The fate of the boys and their coach has gripped Thailand and drawn international media attention.
The president of soccer’s governing body, FIFA, has invited the boys to the World Cup final in Moscow on Sunday if they make it out in time.
AUCorps
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