Thailand Cave Rescue Mission – [video]

A missing Thai youth soccer team has been found trapped deep in a flooded cave for more than a week.

Rescue crews have been frantically working to free the team from a flooded cave.  Trapped in darkness of over 9 days without food.  The boys are located in apart of the cave at about 1.5 miles  in and more than 1/2 mild down.  The team consists of 12 boys, ages 11 through 16, and their coach.  Apparently they were exploring the cave when it suddenly flooded due to monsoon rains. Many of them cant swim and are not comfortable in water.

All options are on the table for rescuing them, including diving lessons, pumping the cave out….etc.  It is a very dangerous situation from all angles, even for the most experienced of cave divers.

Authorities have been able to make the 1.5 mile 4hr journey to the boys to supply food, medical help and supplies. Preparation is being made for the possibility of potentially 3 to 4 months to go in the rescue effort because of monsoon season that brings heavy rains.

CNN details the challenges facing the rescuers in the video clip below

Images Source: YouTube Clips

The Thai navy is now teaching the boys the basics of diving, with a view to guiding them out through flood waters.

But getting them out won’t be easy. The boys will have to be taught how to use scuba diving gear and how to navigate a cave that has frustrated even the most expert divers.

“Regarding the plan for the 13 to swim or dive, there is only one critical point which it is risky: It is where every boy has to dive alone. The point is very narrow … It is very deep water. The distance is pretty long,” said Narongsak.

Some of the boys cannot swim.

But rescuers are also considering other options including keeping the 13 inside the Tham Luang cave until the flood waters recede, at the end of the rainy season in about four months.
H/T Channelnewsasia.com

Thailand Cave Rescue Mission – Update

See next page below for more video details about this rescue operation.