UPDATE – Tuesday 10th July, 12:51 GMT/04:51 PST: The Navy Seal team in charge of the rescue says that the 12 boys and their coach who were trapped in the cave have been brought out, completing an extraordinary and arduous rescue operation that captivated the world.
The Seals posted to Facebook: “12 wild boars and coach out of the cave. Everyone safe.”
The final part of the operation will be the emergence of four rescue divers, including one doctor, who remained in the chamber with the boys after they were found.
“Waiting to pick up four divers,” the Thai Navy said on Facebook.
Four more boys were brought out of the Thai cave they had been stranded in for more than two weeks today, according to an aide to the Thai navy SEAL commander. That leaves four boys and their soccer coach still in the cave with rescuers hoping to get to them tomorrow.
2 more ambulances just left the cave entrance. Presumed – but not confirmed – to have 6th and 7th evacuees
— Jonathan Head (@pakhead) July 9, 2018
Thai officials had been tight-lipped about the rescue operation and did not immediately comment on how many people were removed, but four ambulances have been seen leaving the Thai cave site today. The first boy, the fifth overall, was removed from the cave around 5 pm local time (3 am PST), six hours after the second phase of the operation began.
After hours of unconfirmed reports from sources within the rescue mission, the Thai Navy Seals confirmed that eight boys are out – with four being evacuated from the cave complex today. In a Facebook post they listed eight boys, referring to them as “boars” because of the name of their football team – the Wild Boars.
Taken from various news outlets, here is what we know about today’s events:
- Efforts resumed at 11:00 am local time (9:00 PM PST Sunday) on Monday and involved thirteen foreign divers and five Thai Navy Seals
- Four more boys have been brought out of the cave complex today. They have been described as ‘cold, but ok’.
- Helicopters have been seen leaving the cave and ambulances arriving at a nearby hospital
- The Thai Navy is yet to confirm the details of the rescues and a press conference is expected later
- The first four boys rescued from the cave on Sunday are in the hospital and reported to be in good health, but have not been named
- They are being kept in isolation at the hospital to avoid the risk of infection
- Heavy rains which occurred overnight added to fears for the boys’ safety, but did not affect the water levels inside the cave, according to authorities
A heavy but brief downpour hit the area Monday morning, but authorities said that did not change the water level in the cave, as workers continued to pump water out. New oxygen tanks were placed before the second stage of the rescue effort began.
“All conditions are still as good as they were yesterday,” Chiang Rai acting Gov. Narongsak Osatanakorn said at a news conference Monday morning. “The boys’ strength, the plan — today we are ready like before. And we will do it faster because we are afraid of the rain.”
12 Thai boys and their soccer coach have been trapped by monsoon floods in a large cave in northern Thailand for more than two weeks. The rescue effort to save these boys finally began on Sunday at 10 am local time.
This rescue mission is a race against time as big monsoonal rains are forecasted in the coming days that could further raise water levels in the cave. Two divers are to be with each boy during the rescue operation. Ropes will guide the divers.
It’s being reported that 50 foreign divers and 40 Thai divers are involved in this cave rescue operation.
A former Thai Navy SEAL died while attempting to bring the boys oxygen this week. He reportedly ran out of oxygen while performing the long 1km underwater swim to the boys.
Thai authorities said the parents of the four boys rescued Sunday are still being kept from physical contact with them due to fear of infections. Relatives were able to see them through a glass partition.
Interior Minister Anupong Paojinda had said early Monday that the same divers who took part in Sunday’s rescue would return to get the others as they know the cave conditions and what to do.
Authorities have said extracting the entire team from the cave could take up to four days, but Sunday’s success raised hopes that it could be done faster.
