Eight young players have been rescued from the cave of Tham Luang, in Thailand. Four were released yesterday and four in operations this morning. For 4 other boys and their coach the recovery is postponed to tomorrow for logistical reasons due to the arrival of the night. Taken outside, the boys were taken to hospital by helicopter.
About four kilometers, narrow passages (one only 38 centimeters wide), immersions in flooded tunnels, slopes and a long path between water currents and rocks: these are the difficulties of the rescue mission that began today in Thailand to save 12 children and their coach trapped in a cave. The first stretch is the one that presents the greatest risks. To overcome it, the boys, who spent about nine days without eating before being found on Monday, will have to immerse themselves in a narrow passage: there is room for only one person. The boys, many of whom did not know how to swim before being rescued, took intensive lessons on handling diving equipment. They will use special masks that cover their entire face and allow them to breathe naturally, as well as communicate with rescue teams. The experienced divers (they are 18, 13 foreigners and 5 Thais) have warned of the risk of the mission but have assured that it is the best option, they will always stay with the boys, to guide them. Kids will be able to hold on to a rope attached to the wall through an up and down path in an artificially lit rocky terrain with strong water currents. Once out, the kids will be examined and evaluated by doctors. Awaiting them, 13 ambulances and five helicopters, for transport to the hospital. Precipitation is a major concern, as filtered water from the mountain can flood the tunnels again. According to the authorities, the operations will last 2-3 days.
They will immerse 2 sub for each person forced into the quarry. In the 13 recovery team foreign divers and Thai 5. The recovery began at the local 10, the 5 in Italy.
The proof of the difficulties of the ascent is the death of a 38-year-old former Navy Seal who had sunk to bring oxygen cylinders to the boys. During the transport of cylinders in the cave where oxygen is now scarce (it has dropped to the dangerous threshold of 15% against an average value of 21%) and was left without air. It is not clear whether due to lack of oxygen during the dive or malfunction of the cylinder. A tragedy that has thrown the rescuers into despair. If an expert can die in the difficult journey that separates children from safety, he worries about the possibility that the young, exhausted and weakened after almost two weeks, will be able to make that transfer. Transfer that however remains "very urgent": "we must hurry", is the password that is repeated, among the rescuers, in front of the entrance to the cave where there are also desperate families waiting to see them again. and save their boys. Meanwhile the soccer coach apologized to their parents in the first letter he and the team sent through the divers who are commuting between the quarry and the land. The parents of the 12 Thai boys told the coach not to feel guilty, writes the Thai newspaper The Nation, reporting extracts of the written messages that the families had delivered to the group blocked for two weeks, after last night they received the letters from the boys and also an apology from the coach. The coach, however, is close to the boys even if very tried, he gave up his food ration to give it to his twelve students. He will also be the last to go back.