13 Thais Missing during Caving Expedition

[Gaybutton]

The latest news is time is running out to initiate a rescue. Oxygen levels are going down and the concern about rains flooding out the cave are pressuring authorities. The idea of having the boys wait until the water recedes, even if it takes weeks or months, no longer seems feasible.

One of the questions being asked more frequently, unsurprisingly, is why did they go into that cave in the first place?

Also, for an article about friends and families of the boys, see: https://us.cnn.com/2018/07/05/asia/thai ... index.html
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Thai Navy SEAL commander says time running out to rescue trapped boys

July 6, 2018

MAE SAI, Thailand -- Thai authorities overseeing the rescue operation for 12 boys and their soccer coach trapped in a flooded cave in the country's north said they have a "limited amount of time" to get them out, as they raced Friday against worsening weather and lowered oxygen levels in the underground complex.

The massive operation inside and around Tham Luang Nang Non cave in Chiang Rai province suffered its first fatality Friday when a former Thai navy SEAL passed out underwater on an overnight mission and was unable to be revived.

"We can no longer wait for all conditions (to be ready) because circumstances are pressuring us," Thai SEAL commander Arpakorn Yookongkaew told a news conference. "We originally thought the boys can stay safe inside the cave for quite some time but circumstances have changed. We have limited amount of time."

The oxygen levels inside the cave were getting lower because of all the workers inside, and authorities on Friday were trying to install a 3-mile-long oxygen tube to pump in air, CBS News correspondent Ben Tracy reports.

A senior army commander, Maj. Gen. Chalongchai Chaiyakam, said that the most pressing mission was to provide the oxygen line to reach the kids, who are stuck deep in the complex but are being looked after by four SEALs, including a medic. He said the oxygen line was also tied to a telephone line that would provide a channel of communication for the team.

The boys, aged 11-16, and their 25-year-old coach went exploring in the cave after a soccer game June 23. Monsoon flooding cut off their escape and prevented rescuers from finding them for almost 10 days as the only way to reach them was by navigating a series of dark and tight passageways filled with muddy water and strong currents.

Authorities have been racing to pump out water from the cave before more storms hit the region in the coming days and send water levels rising again. Due to high water levels, the only way for the boys to get out of the cave would be by diving, something cave rescue experts warn is extremely dangerous, even for those with experience. Authorities were trying to drain the flood waters to a level where the boys would not have to dive and could swim out with their heads above water, Tracy reports, but there were worries that even if the water levels were lowered, the boys would not have the endurance to make the trip.

Friday's death of the former SEAL underscores the risks of diving. The diver was working in a volunteer capacity and died during an overnight mission in which he was placing oxygen canisters along the route divers must take to get to the children.

The strategically placed canisters would allow divers to stay under water for longer during the approximately five hour trip to reach the stranded team. While underwater, the rescuer passed out and efforts to resuscitate him failed.

The governor has said the 13 boys may not be extracted at the same time, depending on their condition. The boys were reportedly weak but for the most part physically healthy. They had been practicing wearing diving masks and breathing, in preparation for the possibility of diving.

Cave rescue experts have said it could be safest to simply supply the boys where they are and wait for the flooding to subside. That could take months, however, given that Thailand's rainy season typically lasts through October. And without proper oxygen levels, staying put could also prove deadly.

Meanwhile on Friday, FIFA, the organizers of the World Cup, sent a letter to the president of the Football Association of Thailand offering their "deepest sympathies and support" to the families of young soccer players and their coach.

The letter, signed by FIFA President Gianni Infantino, invited the team to the World Cup final in Russia, should they be rescued in time and be healthy enough to travel.

It said that the team's appearance at the final would "undoubtedly be a wonderful moment of communion and celebration."

The boys have asked the navy SEALs taking care of them in the cave for details about what has happened in the World Cup since they got trapped on June 23.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/thailand-c ... ccer-team/

[Captain Kirk]

If they all had flashlights with them, it would seem to me that it was a pre-planned event. I think any invite to a world cup can wait until the next one. Last thing these kids will need is a jaunt to Russia as soon as they get out.

[Undaunted]

More on Musk help:

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/ ... l/30349483

[fountainhall]

I think any invite to a world cup can wait until the next one. Last thing these kids will need is a jaunt to Russia as soon as they get out.

Sorry to disagree. I think they would be so over the moon it would give them a bit of extra energy and an even greater boost to getting out by whatever route they have to take. If they all get out in the next day or two and have recuperated in hospital for a couple of days, I think attending a World Cup Final would for them be a once in a lifetime thrill. Sadly, the world being what it is, assuming as we all hope that they all get out alive, their story in four years time will be of little interest to the World Cup organisers.

[fountainhall]

Belgian Media cite unconfirmed Reports that Rescue to start Tonight

Reporters have gathered near the entrance to the Cave for a Media Conference by the Thai Interior Minister expected to start at any moment.

There are unconfirmed reports circulating that the authorities may begin the rescue mission tonight due to fears that forecast torrential rains would further endanger the trapped football team.

Efforts today to find appropriate locations to drill a shaft down to the stranded footballers were unsuccessful, meaning that the only viable option out is via the tunnels.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/ ... ision-live

[Captain Swing]

I would vote for the "No World Cup" option. It's not going to happen anyway, given the timing, but my choice (as if it matters) would be for the boys to go back to their families after proper medical treatment, and the Thai army to then enforce a blockade around their village. No reporters, no interviews, no cameras, no TV appearances, no celebrities, no agents, no book deals, no movie deals. Why bother to rescue them and then ruin their lives? Let them go back to being ordinary anonymous Thai schoolboys. Give them the psychological counseling they might need and otherwise leave them alone. Let the world's media go to Phuket and obsess over the victims of the boat capsizing. Alas, the chances of all this happening are less than the chances of them going to the World Cup.

[gerefan]

Couldn't agree more, Captain Swing.

Sounds like a very poorly thought out, cheap, publicity stunt by FIFA.

[fountainhall]

Sadly the Belgian report turned out not to be true. But I wonder why it was decided to hold a media Conference around midnight if there was nothing new to report. The Governor of Chiang Rai Province took the Conference after the Interior Minister had left. Inevitably there has to be speculation about the Interior Minister's brief visit. After all, it had been announced that he would chair the Conference. Earlier in the week, the local media has been full of previous disagreements between the government and the Chiang Rai governor. Did the Minister bring instructions?

The Governor reported the boys have now learned to dive, have received letters from their parents but it is still too risky to attempt the rescue. He added, if it starts to rain heavily, “we will try to get them out”. Second guessing is obviously too easy, but given that heavy rains are due to start tomorrow, I wonder what the last statement really meant.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/ ... 7e6f6c25fe

[Gaybutton]

It may turn out that Elon Musk's team could be the key to the whole rescue. If their ideas and equipment can work, and work in time, the boys could come out with very minimal risk, certainly far less risk than trying to dive them out.
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Musk suggests tube network

July 7, 2018
By The Nation

SpaceX engineers flying to Thailand to explore possibilities; the death of an exnavy seal dampens enthusiasm to let the stranded 13 dive out

Alternative ways to evacuate the 12 stranded boys and their football coach from the Tham Luang cave have emerged, including one suggested by US entrepreneur and tech expert Elon Musk.

In a series of tweets, Musk said engineers from his SpaceX and Boring companies are heading to Thailand to see if they can help Thai authorities, especially in view of the complexities involved in this unique rescue situation.

Earlier, Thai authorities had planned to have all the 13 dive out of the cave, but the death of a former Thai Navy SEAL member early yesterday appears to have made planners reconsider their options.

Given the unprecedented challenge in this rescue effort, Musk said in one of his tweets that it maybe worth trying to build a one-metre-wide nylon tube network with a shorter set of tubes in the most difficult sections and then inflate the tubes with air to create something like a bouncy castle to transport the boys out of the cave.

The underwater air tunnel can be installed against the cave roof and can auto-conform to odd shapes like a 70cm hole, Musk wrote in his tweet in response to @JamesWorldSpace.

Bloomberg also reported that Musk’s representatives are discussing with Thai authorities on how they could help.

Musk’s SpaceX company has developed world-class technologies for space activities, while other companies founded by the US billionaire have built heavy-duty batteries for Tesla electric cars and other uses, as well as cutting-edge earth-drilling and boring machinery.

In addition, one of his companies reportedly has the technology for precision tracking to locate the area where the boys have been stranded for over a fortnight.

Chaiyaporn Siripornpaiboon, a cave expert at the Department of Mineral Resources, told The Nation that the cave’s floodwater level has become the most crucial factor in determining which option would be the most appropriate to rescue the stranded footballers.

The latest data shows that the most challenging section for the boys to dive out is about 200 metres long, next to the so-called Pattaya Beach where the floodwater is estimated to be 5-10 metres deep.

His comment came after a former Navy SEAL became the first fatality and revealed the dangers of trying to have the stranded boys dive out.

Chaiyaporn said he would prefer to see the floodwater subside to a much lower level to enable the boys to get out safely, but that chance was relatively low as the rainy season has only started.

Another option is to continue exploring for a natural cave shaft through which the boys could be airlifted so that they could avoid diving. So far, explorers have not been successful with this option.

Thanasarn Narue-sataporn, a medical doctor with experience in rescuing people hit by natural disasters, including the last Nepal earthquake, said the cave’s floodwater level is most crucial so authorities have to closely watch the situation around the clock and make their rescue decision in a timely manner.

He said the Tham Luang challenge is unique – unlike any other rescue effort around the world – especially in terms of the number of young people trapped inside a complicated cave network.

In similar cases in Germany or France, only a small number of adult caving experts or trekkers were trapped, but in the Thai case they are boys aged between 11 to 16 and their 25-year-old coach.

While a huge amount of water has been pumped out over the past several days, the cave’s floodwater level remains high due to the area’s mountainous nature.

Authorities are worried about a worst-case scenario where heavy downpour for an extended period in the area could lead to complete flooding inside the cave, including the area currently occupied by the boys and more than 10 Navy SEAL members.

Dr Suttisak Soralump of Kasetsart University said earlier that the Tham Luang challenge is also much more difficult than the 2010 Chilean mine collapse in terms of the attempt to drill the cave to rescue those trapped inside.

In the Chilean case, 33 miners were trapped underground for 69 days but all survived. Suttisak said the Tham Luang cave being totally natural, there is not enough geological data for engineers to work out a solution.

In the Chilean mine case, the site was fully explored prior to the collapse with a lot of data available for rescuers to design their options to get the miners out safely.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/ ... l/30349506

[Gaybutton]

Letters to parents from the trapped boys:
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Trapped 13 express their feelings in first letters from cave

July 07, 2018

By The Nation

The 13 footballers stranded in a cave have all sent their first letters home.

The Thai NavySEAL Facebook page published photos of seven hand-written letters.

The Facebook page said the assistant coach, Ekkapol Chanthawong, and the boys gave the letters to a team of foreign divers at night on Friday.

The first page of the paper was on the subject of communication, apparently written by the coach.

The first page says: “What we want to communicate: The kids say don’t be worried about them. All of them are strong. They would like to eat many different kinds of foods when they come out. Teachers, please don’t give them too much homework. The SEALs and doctor Phak, who are taking care of the children, are also well.”

The rest of the letters say:

Chanin Wibulrungruang (Tun): Dad and mum, don’t worry. I am fine. Please tell Brother Yod to get prepared to take me to a fried chicken shop. Love you all!

Ekkapol Chanthawong (Coach Ake): To parents of all the children: The children are doing well. There are staff who take good care of them. I promise to take care of them as best as I can. I would like to thank you for all the moral support. And I would like to apologise to all the parents.

To my aunt and grandmother: I am doing well. Don’t worry too much about me. Please take good care of yourselves. Aunt, please tell grandma to please prepare the vegetable juice and fried pork skin for me. I’ll eat them when I come out. I love you all.

Sompong Jaiwong (Pong): I you dad and mum. Don’t worry. We are all safe now. Love you all.

Pipat Photi (Nik): I love you, dad and mum. I love my siblings as well. When I come out, please take me to a pork pan (shabu) shop. Love you all.

Mongkol Boonpiam (Mark): Mum, are you doing well at home? I am doing well. Please tell my teacher I love her. Love you, mum.

Phanumart Saengdee (Mik): Don’t worry about me. I miss you all, grandpa, aunt, mother, dad and siblings. I am happy inside here. The SEALs take good care of me. Love you all.

Ekkarat Wongsukchan (Bew): Don’t worry about me, dad and mum. I’ll be away for just two weeks. I’ll later help you, mum, sell goods when I have time. I’ll rush out of here.

Pornchai Khamluang (Tee): Don’t worry about me. I hope you all, dad, mum, and siblings, are happy.

Duangphet Promthep (Tom): I am doing well. But the air is cold. Don’t worry. But don’t forget my birthday party.

Adul Sam-on (Adul): Don’t worry about us now. I miss you all. I would like to go home as soon as possible.

Pirapat Sompiangchai (Knight): I love you, dad and mum. Don’t worry about me. I love you all.

Natthawut Thakhamsai (Toel): I miss you dad and mum. I love you all. Don’t worry about me. I can take care of myself.

Prachak Sutham (Note): I am safe and doing well. Don’t worry. I love you dad and mum.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/ ... l/30349537