And it is international news because as a species we tend to respond when children are in peril. It is a biological imperative to care.
But this is not just about the kids but about those who are going to such great lengths to get them home safe.
It has everything a great story needs, make 'em weep, make 'em laugh, make 'em wait.
And it has the virtue of being a true story with a happy (or at least semi-happy) ending.
How many other "kids in peril" stories can you say that about?
Most children in peril around the world are in war zones or in societies that have abandoned them because there is no means to care for them.
There are private rescue orgs that help such children.
To rescue such children requires commitment and logistics over a time period that is more manageable.
This story of the children trapped deep inside a mountain under perilous conditions is on a more extreme timeline where every minute counts toward saving lives. The oxygen levels, food and potable water (2+ weeks trapped without resupply), no light or devices as batteries go dead.
Hard to imagine 2 weeks inside a mountain cave unable to see anything, miles from the entrance with no way to get out, not knowing how to swim (which is actually good because a swim could take going under water for more than a mile), not knowing if anyone knows where you are, not knowing if there is or ever will be a rescue.
Nightmare. And to think some of the kids are only 11 years old.