Thailand: 12 teenagers lost in cave, 9 days now. Say a prayer, please

https://edition.cnn.com/2018/07/02/asia/thai-soccer-team-missing-intl/index.html

This story has gripped the country; a whole high school football team and their coach lost for nine days in a dark cave in the northern area of the country. The cave is notorious for flooding during rainy season, and this rainy season has been heavy. Professional and military divers from all over the world have been volunteering their skills to try to locate the boys, with no good results as yet.

Because of the cave's construction, the flooded areas block the access to the dry chambers. And the access tunnels are quite small, requiring the divers to remove the SCUBA tanks while underwater, and pass the tanks through the openings before their bodies.

I've been in this cave system before as a tourist, and I can assure you this rescue operation is not for the fainthearted.

Say a prayer, or hold a good thought for these kids. Everyone here is hoping for a good ending to the story, but time is running short.

More here, in a forum topic:
https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topi...ach-pattaya-beach-chamber-of-tham-luang-cave/

News video here:
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/thaila...ang-non-missing-soccer-team-coach-chiang-rai/

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/wor...s-waiting-of-news-of-12-missing-a3876536.html

"Rejoice rejoice we have no choice"
The boys and their coach have all been found safe and well, their ordeal is over.

I've been closely watching this effort. I'm deeply impressed with the Thai response to possible tragic outcomes, namely the enormous numbers of Thai's who came together to pray. Who did not stop praying until the outcome was known, and I doubt they stopped then with so much to be grateful for.

I was grateful that we sent a US Seals team in with our best and newest equipment.

Help seemed to be coming from everywhere. For this to I am thankful.

"He's got the whole world in his hands."

That was awesome!
I prayed just a moment ago not realizing that they had already been found.
I scrolled down and my prayer was answered!
God really works in mysterious ways.

I'd been meaning to post this a few days ago, but didn't get around to it. I went to bed last night after posting it, and woke up today to get the good news.

Apparently the Brit and American diving teams were the first to reach them.

"We're hungry," one of the boys says, in English...

It's a good day. Not many of them in Thailand when it comes to things like this, but there's enough credit to give some to everyone in this case. It was the most massive S&R effort in the history of the country.

Now comes the hard part, though. How to get them out? They are in a place that took the best divers in the world 9 days to reach. There is speculation that it will take at least weeks, and perhaps months, before they can be extracted, since we might have to wait for mother nature to stop raining.

TL;DR - the water level has to go down before they can get out.

Here's a short bio of two of the first divers to get to the boys, from the UK. Heroes in anyone's book. These two have done rescues like this before:

https://www.express.co.uk/news/worl...itish-cave-divers-rick-stanton-john-volanthen

And the first video in its entirety:

https://www.facebook.com/ThaiSEAL/videos/1631228493667210/

They are found, they are safe and being supplied. Now how to get them home to their families.

Proposals so far.:

1. Teach them o scuba dive. (Not really advisable. It takes a Navy Seal 6 hours diving time to reach them.)

2. Find or create another way out. They are using ground thumping radar that can penetrate to two hundred feet.They are looking for a thin spot they can break though. This may provide our solution, yet to be seen.

3. Find a means to pump out all the water. This is going to be really tough as they are pumping all they can now just to lessen the water level.

4. Number four, For all it's limitations and difficulties may be the safest course of action. Supply them in place for a few months until the weather and water permits them an exit.

This isn't anything we can rush, We need and want them ALL to come out of this.

Yet their physical condition may not allow us to wait. Right now unless we find another way, it looks like they may have to wait it out. If we wait it out here's what we CAN do!

We can stuff their little bellies! They were of course very hungry, I'm sure their hunger is over by now.

They are already talking to their parents by landline. We can get them TV, news of themselves and other entertainments. They sat in total darkness for 10 days and nights....I'm sure some diversion will be welcome.

We can continue to Pray for their safe return to loving arms.

When I think about this it occurs to me that if they had been in just about any other cave system in the world hypothermia would have brought about an very different and tragic outcome.

We were blessed in our misfortune. We have much to be thankful for. Don't forget to thank the Big Guy! ":O}

I have trained as far as diver rescue.

I can't see that the boys will be able to dive/swim out under their own steam. The are in a weakened physical state, and even a fit and healthy adult would find such a long dive quite exhausting, even the coldness of the water drains energy fast.

But, they can bundle them up on stretchers, similar to a mountain rescue, and bring them out that way.

The biggest issue would be if they vomit, and ensuring that that don't panic or choke if that happens. That is the one thing the divers can't do for them.

Today's reports have something of a growing threat. Weather may not favor our efforts.

Those in charge have anticipated this development. I leaned today that hundreds of workers are drilling and laying diversion pipes. They are having trouble pumping any more water out, but they are working like mad to keep more water from coming in.

They are making heard way against the water level. What was a passage completely flooded yesterday allows workers to wade through knee deep today, Workers are hacking away at the rock widening and deepening where they can to get pipe thought and possibly to be used to get the boys out.

Danrock is of course right. The Seals have ruled out swimming them out unless the water can be brought down in three passages. So their heads need not be submerged. Some thing that can trigger panic in an inexperienced child. I'm sure gaining their confidence will play a big part. In my experience. (admittedly limited) If a kid believes in your abilities they will walk beside you though fire. As things are now they would have to dive 100 feet deep with kids that they are just now teaching to swim.

Then there is the water current, I saw a navy diver holding on to a safety rope, it did not look easy.

They ARE currently pumping oxygen thought flexible plastic pipes several of them that look to be around 8'' in dia.. As the air seems to be waning and the boys were getting lite headed.

The good news is that there is a strong hope that they will be able to divert enough water to lower it's level in the critical passages.

Monsoon is at their door step and unless things go really well they may have to revisit the swim out option.What troubles me most at this point is that I haven't heard one way or the other if it is possible that the boys "safe place" is in danger of itself flooding... Which of course would dramatically lesson their options for rescue.

Today the boys coach came under slight criticism for going into the cave. But the boys won't hear of it. He had the parents permission. He gave up his food for them. He remains their hero...

Our prayers are still needed. our hope undiminished. Thankfully, rescue is something that human beings are rather good at.

This from the local English-language newspaper:
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30349416

Also, one of the Thai Navy divers died yesterday; he had dropped off supplies [air tank I believe] and was returning to the ops base when he fell unconscious and was not revivable.

This is a gruesome reminder of how dangerous this operation is, even for a lifetime-trained diving expert.

https://edition.cnn.com/2018/07/05/asia/thai-cave-diver-intl/index.html

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-44734385

How often have first responders willing laid down their lives to bring others out of danger?
One more joins the exalted ranks of the sacrificial.

I do not ask for you to pray for him, rather I ask him to pray for us. I feel his fate is a a firm footing as he passed from this life he passed from it's dangers.

And probably the best news that could possibly have arrived is here:

"Elsewhere, Elon Musk announced he is in contact with the Thai authorities and has sent a team of engineers from The Boring Company, who will accompany SpaceX employees to aid the rescue effort in Tham Luang."

If Elon is involved, I'm feeling a lot better.

http://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/2018/07/06/billionaire-elon-musk-offers-help-for-cave-13/

Are you kidding me?

If they do have to stay in there until October then the more engineers they have the better. They'll need to keep pumping water out, and air in.

At least these Space X guys will have access to expensive machines that can make custom parts.

Elon Has landed rockets! Who else can do that!? On a freaking raft!!

If we need something new to get our guys out of that cave, Elon is a very good place to start!
Something else... Elon is putting his best tech into the fight.

How often do we get to see the newest and the best placed at the disposal of the poor?

This is the kind of sacrifice that alone has the power to help this world.