Chiang Rai : Search continues for 13 missing youth

[Jonathan Fairfield]

Missing footballers and coach visited cave last December

 

 

The young footballers and their 25-year-old coach believed to be trapped inside a seven-kilometre-long cave in Chiang Rai’s Mae Sai district visited the cave in late December last year.

Photos in Facebook of football coach Ekkapon Chantawongse, who last Saturday went into the cave with his 12 teenaged footballers and got stuck inside after a flash flood blocked their way out, show them on a previous visit inside the cave in Tham LuangKhunnam Nang Non National Park.

 

The photos were stamped December 30 and Ekkapon wrote that the visit was a special training session prior to a football match. The missing youth are members of a local football team, the Mu Pa Academy Mae Sai (‘Mu Pa’ refers to wild pigs).

 

The posted photos suggest Ekkapon was close to his team, as they show him with the young team members on and off the field. 

 

Many netizens have criticised the coach for leading the team into the cave last Saturday afternoon.

 

Meanwhile Pol Colonel Possawee Chotetienchaiwat, a provincial deputy police commander, told reporters of the latest rescue attempt. The Navy’s SEAL unit members had drilled into the first hall but found only footprints believed to be of the missing group. There are two halls inside the cave. The search team will next try to enter the second hall through a small hole, Possawee said.

 

It is believed that the group had gone into the cave before a flash flood hit the area, blocking their exit.

 

Full story: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30348570

 

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-06-25

[oldlakey]

2 hours ago, nahkit said:

Why so many conflicting reports?

 

The initial Nation report said:-

 

"After they resumed the search on Sunday morning, a source in the rescue unit claimed the group had been found but they could not come out as the water level was unsafe."

 

4 hours ago they said this

"We have sent in enough drinking water and food for the kids to last at least a week, until the water goes down,” he said.

 

3 hours ago they said

"Latest reports indicate that the SEAL team, who arrived at the scene at about 2.45am on Monday morning, went into the cave and drilled into the wall of a cavern in which the youngsters were believed to be sheltering but to no avail."

 

 

Absolutely brilliant professional conduct why on earth dont they put themselves

in the kids families and friends shoes before opening their mouths

[tukkytuktuk]

Found this map of the cave.

[tukkytuktuk]

Here's a video of someone's recent trip to the cave.

 

[Tug]

Hope everyone is in an air pocket hope drilling into the big chamber dident release the air pressure differential allowing the water level to rise hoping and praying for a good ending

[snoop1130]

Search efforts for missing youths suspended Monday afternoon due to high level of water inside the cave

By The Nation

 

 

Rescue efforts to locate the missing young footballers and his coach in a cave in Chiang Rai province were suspended on Monday afternoon due to increasing water level inside the cave from heavy rain.

 

Officials vowed to continue the search as soon as possible.

The suspension at 5.47pm was decided for the sake of the safety of the divers as the heavy downpours added water to the already-flooded cave.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30348589

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-6-25

[tukkytuktuk]

Some news footage.

 

[Rc2702]

Wondering if thermal technology is effective in this scenario?

 

 

[travelling wilbury]

3 hours ago, Russell17au said:

There are a couple of "experienced divers" that have made some remarks that an experienced diver would not make and that is about trying to bring young inexperienced people who have never used scuba gear before out of a cave through muddy water where their visibility is severally restricted. Panic is the problem with young inexperienced people who have not used that gear before and that is dangerous.

Im sure the guys we got out of the alexander kielland would disagree with you on this

Edited June 25, 2018 by travelling wilbury

[oldlakey]

3 minutes ago, travelling wilbury said:

Im sure the guys we got out of the alexander keeland would disagree with you on this

Thats as maybe, lets get one thing straight are you saying that they should be attempting a rescue in this case in these conditions rather than wait for the water to recede somewhat once they are located

When taking into account the kids ages

[canuckamuck]

They really ought to get someone over to the other side that can help them keep their heads and survive. Imagine what stupid decisions they could be considering by now. Even some Mylar blankets could be a life saver.

[oldlakey]

11 minutes ago, canuckamuck said:

They really ought to get someone over to the other side that can help them keep their heads and survive. Imagine what stupid decisions they could be considering by now. Even some Mylar blankets could be a life saver.

If they have anybody capable I agree, lets hope they are doing nothing but sitting tight and waiting for rescue

[Russell17au]

45 minutes ago, travelling wilbury said:

Im sure the guys we got out of the alexander kielland would disagree with you on this

There is a very big difference between the Alexander Kielland oil platform rescue and this rescue, with the Alexander Kielland you were out in the open ocean rescuing grown men, here with this rescue you are in an enclosed area with dirty muddy water which has a running current and with very little visibility if any and you have young teenage children who have no experience at all and what you don't need is for one of them to panic in the water and spit out the mouthpiece and because of the lack of visibility it would not be seen so you end up with a fatality that could be avoided.

I have been involved in both types of underwater rescues and I would advise against trying to bring these boys out while the water is still high. What they should concentrate on is to get food, water and something to keep the boys warm and comforted by navy divers while they try to lower the water level. The water must have come in from somewhere, so they need to find that spot and even using sandbags to even slow the flow of water while they pump the water out until it is down to a reasonable level to get the boys out safely.

[tukkytuktuk]

Another map of the cave, zoomed in I guess to where they are trapped.

[tukkytuktuk]

Another video of today's search efforts at the cave.

 

[sanemax]

https://news.sky.com/story/fears-for-youth-football-team-trapped-in-thai-cave-11415412

[Russell17au]

Looking at the location of where these boys are from and the reported ages of 11 to 15 years old I would guess that none of them have ever had swimming lessons so to try and teach them to swim with scuba gear would be asking for trouble unfortunately. I only hope that those in charge do something about stopping the water from increasing and somehow draining it away quickly and that all those boys including their coach are safely rescued

[bbudd]

I've explored this cave many times.

Very dangerous in wet season

High water mark even in larger passages is 3 to 4  meters above cave floor

Smaller passages totally flooded,and ceiling is covered in stalactites

Hope they have someone very familiar with the cave in the rescue party

Wish the kids  well.

Can only hope there hi and dry in the big chamber

[webfact]

Hidden cave entrances offer new hope for rescue

By THE NATION

 

Thai rescue workers and park officials rest outside the Tham Luang Nang Non cave, as the authorities search for 12 football players and their coach who have gone missing and are believed to be trapped in cave at Chiang Rai province.// EPA-EFE

 

GUIDED by information from local residents, search teams are seeking ceiling entrances to a cave in Chiang Rai’s Mae Sai district where a group of 12 teenagers and their football coach went missing at the weekend.
 

Pol Colonel Rangsiman Songkrautham, a border patrol police commander, said that according to the information, there were two ceiling passages leading into the cave.

 

“We will check the information by dispatching teams to survey the area on foot and by helicopter. If confirmed, it would boost our chances of finding the missing group,” he said.

 

Search teams could descend into the cave from entrances, he said, adding to rescue efforts that until now have required diving into water from the cave entrance.

 

 

Search teams comprising Army, police and Navy SEAL units yesterday worked day and night to find the 12 young footballers and their 25-year-old coach who entered Tham Luang-Khunnam Nang Non cave in the forest park of the same name on Saturday afternoon.

 

 

The missing youths are members of a local football team, the Mu Pa Academy Mae Sai. It’s thought that they entered the cave but could not exit as a flash flood blocked their way out.

 

Authorities were alerted during the weekend by a mother of one of the players, who said her son had not come home.

 

His last message to her was that he was visiting the cave with his team and coach, she said. Investigators found 11 bikes belonging to the missing footballers at the cave entrance.

 

Their families are waiting near the cave amid heavy rain, holding on to the hope that their loved ones are safe. Some have held religious rites there, praying for the children’s safety. They are receiving regular updates on the situation from the rescue mission.

 

 

Authorities have warned others to stay away from the area to prevent them from obstructing the rescue work.

 

The Navy’s SEAL unit arrived at the site at 2.45am yesterday and was divided into four groups who took turns to dive into the cave.

 

 

They drilled holes into two separate halls inside the cave in a bid to locate the missing group, but found only footprints and handprints, which nevertheless raised hopes that the missing were still alive. The SEALS carried food and water in case they found the missing teens, who would be hungry after being trapped since the weekend. On Sunday, diving teams found slippers in the cave.

 

A rescue team has been pumping air into the cave to increase the available oxygen, while the authorities have minimised use of machines near the entrance to ensure that carbon monoxide does not seep into the cave.

 

Meanwhile photos on the Facebook page of coach Ekkapon Chantawongse show the group previously visited the cave. The photos were date-stamped December 30, 2016 with a caption explaining the visit was part of pre-match preparations. 

 

 

The photos suggest Ekkapon was close to his team, as they show him with the players on and off the field. 

 

Yesterday divers had to work under muddy water up to five metres deep, with levels in the cave rising due to heavy rain in the afternoon. The search was suspended at about 6pm yesterday due to the rising water level in the cave.

 

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30348601

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-06-26

[Wilsonandson]

Come on, today they have to do all they can to get to these boys. Big fingers crossed they are still alive and well.

[Peabody]

Mightn't there be a remotely operated underwater drone that could be employed?

[Russell17au]

They must get rid of that water but unfortunately what ever way they do it involves a large risk not only to the boys but also to the whole area. They must either open up a channel to drain the water out of the cave which will cause problems with the increased current flow causing erosion of the area with the possibility of causing landslide and cave in at the entrance or to go well upstream and divert the water away via a new channel so that the water does not reach the cave but this also causes the problem of erosion and where is this water going to be sent. Australia uses heat seeking camewra's for the use in finding hot spots in bushfire fighting and also they have been used successfully in finding people trapped in the Thredbo Avalanche but I am unsure of what range they have and if they would penetrate enough earth the be able to pick up the body heat from the boys which would be decreasing because of hypothermia now. My prayers go out to the boys, their families and to the rescuers and pray that their will be a good outcome.

[Russell17au]

21 minutes ago, Peabody said:

Mightn't there be a remotely operated underwater drone that could be employed?

unfortunately you can only use it in the flooded section as it would not be able to fly in the other sections of the cave

[jossthaifarang]

8 hours ago, Russell17au said:

Looking at the location of where these boys are from and the reported ages of 11 to 15 years old I would guess that none of them have ever had swimming lessons so to try and teach them to swim with scuba gear would be asking for trouble unfortunately. I only hope that those in charge do something about stopping the water from increasing and somehow draining it away quickly and that all those boys including their coach are safely rescued

Scuba gear with a rope to hold onto will do the tick, whether they can swim or not..

[Russell17au]

5 minutes ago, jossthaifarang said:

Scuba gear with a rope to hold onto will do the tick, whether they can swim or not..

Problem: if it was a straight smooth sided tube then I would agree with you but here we have rocky outcrops that the boys could get caught up on and panic because one very big factor in this is they will not be able to see in the dark muddy water, remember there is no sunlight so it is night time every second.

[neeray]

This is a very scary story. My heart goes out to the parents, family and friends. Best wishes for the lost soles.

I, like every TVF member can only hope for a miraculous outcome.

[Russell17au]

There is one way that they can get the boys out once they find them and as long as the passageway is large enough for two people with scuba tanks on to be able to fit through together then the navy divers could clip 1 of the boys to him with the boy facing the diver and swim out together, much like the buddy system that is used in parachuting. There are 11 boys and 1 coach and there are 18 navy divers. These are navy seals which like the American seals and the Australian clearance divers they are the best of the best, so get them in there and find those boys.

Edited June 26, 2018 by Russell17au

[ttrd]

2 hours ago, Wilsonandson said:

Come on, today they have to do all they can to get to these boys. Big fingers crossed they are still alive and well.

RE- Come on, today they have to do all they can to get to these boys.

 

With ref to the last photo - if the hands were out of the trouser pockets and the texting could come to an end then the focus could arrive back to were it should….

 

Finger Crossed that this will end well!

[trainman34014]

How on earth could caving be preparation for a football match, which is what they are claiming ?

[Russell17au]

 

I think they need to change the sign from July to June for safety reasons because anyone new to the area could also get trapped in late June