Posted on 07/08/2018 11:36:04 PM PDT by UnwashedPeasant
The first four boys who were trapped in the cave in Thailand have been rescued and are in "perfect" health.
The boys had to travel about 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) with oxygen tanks, tethered to cave divers to exit. About 0.6 miles (1 kilometer) of the journey was underwater, where everyone had to wear full face masks.
Reports emerged that the trapped boys did not know how to swim. Swim lessons are rare in Thailand, where the leading cause of death for children under 15 is drowning. Over the past few days, the boys were given lessons in swimming and diving before they started their journey out of the cave.
Experienced cave divers have noted how difficult the dive in Thang Luam Cave is. In addition to having no experience diving, the boys have mostly been without food and medicine for two weeks in tight quarters where oxygen is limited.
On Friday, officials warned that oxygen levels in the cave dropped from 21% to 15%, further complicating rescue efforts. A Thai Navy SEAL commander told reporters he believed there was "a limited amount of time" left to rescue the soccer team.
How they got out For the first four rescues, two divers accompanied each boy, one from the side and one from behind. They made their way back to the entrance of the cave guided by a 3 mile rope. In total, 13 foreign cave divers and five Thai Navy SEAL divers participated in Sunday's rescue, according to Reuters.
(Excerpt) Read more at businessinsider.com ...
They are getting air to the chamber
Ive seen scuba propelling devices that are no wider than human shoulders and weigh as little as 10-15 pounds
GTFOOH
Hes essentially a kid too...25
At least he got them on a ledge out of the water and hasnt lost one yet
In the dark for days till they were found
That takes some character ...despite his ignorance about rain and caves
We here in middle tennessee have systems of caves some 30-40 miles of passages never fully explored like Snail Shell around and under Murfreesboro
Rain kills folks in these caves frequently ...unprepared for it
They closed the primary Snail Shell opening at Rockvale for that reason.
Spelunking is indeed dangerous
Like Free Soloing Yosemite
It’s not, since it’s not there and the kids will be out by the time he sends anything there. But, he has a huge team working Social Media making folks think he had something to do with the rescue... guess he’s running for president or something.
His auto business is tanking. So, he wants his investors to watch the new shiny object vs auto P&L. Hes a master at that.
Bizarre how much attention this story has gotten when there are so many more important things going on.
Yeah, but did they win the soccer match?
Am wondering if they got confused after a day or two on which direction was “OUT” and went deeper into the cave then they intended.
What’s described on the side-view illustration as the “narrow flooded passage” is what I don’t understand. Why would they not turn around at that point? Did they get to where they are by another route?
Dumba## coach.
—
That’s what I’m thinking. Looking at the cave diagram and the distances, that is not some brief hike into a cave. The coach took those boys on what looks like an expert level trek, without food or water. Even if the cave had not flooded, there are passages barely wide enough for a human body to squeeze thru. What the heck was that coach thinking?
I think the pathway flooded after they got there.
Maybe. That is what I concluded.
I wouldn’t assume their location is reflective of any planned trip. They were fleeing the incoming water - and that drove them deeper and deeper into the cave - and through passages they might not normally take.
If I understood his background, he lost most of his family.
I think he wanted the kids to be strong.
Pretty good goal actually.
Not at all. There's something very fundamental about our desire to want positive, desirable outcomes when a human face is put on the plight of others. There's something in a lot of peoples deep-seeded fears that hates the thought of being trapped in a small, dark, enclosed space. Perseverance, ingenuity, and compassion for the plight of others are some of the aspects which make this story high interest.
Reuters and cannot reporting fifth person brought out recently.
Funny autocorrect on my phone. Should say Reuters and cnn
“it is a mystery to me how they got where they were”
I have read that they came in from a different direction/entrance, but that was completely blocked for exiting. Don’t know if it’s true but it kind of makes sense. I can’t see a kid voluntarily going through that deep dip that’s so narrow, even without water in it.
As I am understanding from the unfolding news, this was a public cave with a degree of facilities like steps and handrails. [Thus it appears that for the team to be there was not a crime on the 25yo coach's part.]
Then, after they were into the cave, the way out became impassable due to rising water coming from heavy rain in the area. They had to keep moving deeper into the cavern to escape from the rising water.
Even though some of the passages may now be passable, being in the dark and without specific knowledge, who would YOU send to explore? Sometimes, like this one, it ends with only one choice, to shelter in place and hope to be rescued. Can you imagine their relief when that first diver popped up?
Guaranteed that there will be books and movies about this but my sincere wish is that the real story ends with all being safely rescued with no further fatalities. Please God, hear my prayer!
“why arent they pumping fresh air into chamber?”
I think they did at some point. But if so, it seems the air quality would’ve been better. Dunno for sure.
“Did they get to where they are by another route?”
I heard they entered from another direction but couldn’t get out that way.
“Whats described on the side-view illustration as the narrow flooded passage is what I dont understand. Why would they not turn around at that point?”
The monsoon rain came after they entered the cave, so the cave was dry when they went in.
“Perseverance, ingenuity, and compassion for the plight of others...”
I was thinking of this in church today. No matter who their God is, or no God, humans are risking their lives for complete strangers. As messed up as many people are - humans are at the top of God’s creation here on earth. I’m not sure too many animals will go to the extremes we do to help out a stranger.
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