UK experts arriving to help rescue mission in Chiang Rai

[webfact]

UK experts arriving to help rescue mission

By The Nation

 

 

Three foreign experts have flown in from Britain to boost the operations to rescue 12 teenage football players and their assistant coach who are believed to have been stranded inside a partially flooded cave in Chiang Rai province since Saturday.

 

“They should reach Chiang Rai at about 6pm on Wednesday,” Chiang Rai Governor Narongsak Osottanakorn said. 

 

Thai Airways rescuers International has provided free air tickets for the experienced underwater, all of whom boarded the flight out of London on Tuesday night.

 

“We have already talked to them online to an extent,” Narongsak said. 

 

At present, 12 rescue teams have been in action using a variety of approaches in the hope saving all victims. 

 

Efforts to find an accessible hole from the top of the cave are now ongoing, as it is possible that there are holes to climb down to the farther part of the cave that rescue teams cannot yet reach from the main entrance. 

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30348747

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-06-27

 

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UPDATE:

 

Foreign experts join rescue mission

By THE NATION

 

 

Three cavediving experts from UK arrive; US assistance on the way as search for 13 footballers in cave continues.

 

INTERNATIONAL experts are arriving to lend a helping hand as every effort continues to be made to rescue 12 young footballers and their deputy coach who have been trapped for five nights in the Tham Luang Cave in Chiang Rai province. 

 

Three cave-diving experts from the United Kingdom arrived yesterday evening to help locate the teens, who are players of the local Mu Pa Academy football club.

 

They entered the country’s fourth-longest cave in Mae Sai district on Saturday with their 25-year-old deputy coach, Ekkapon Intawongse, with some food for “special training”. According to reports, this was not the first time they had gone to the cave.

It is believed that they may have failed to leave the cave before a flash flood arrived, inundating a huge part of the cave.

 

 

The three foreign experts – Robert Charlie Harper, John Volamthen and Richard William Stanton – arrived in Chiang Rai yesterday evening. 

 

Tourism Minister Weerasak Kowsurat said he had invited the team to Thailand to help find the missing youths and that the three had surveyed the Tham Luang cave even before. 

 

Thai Airways International sponsored the travel of the experienced underwater cave rescuers, who boarded a flight out of London on Tuesday night. Chiang Rai Governor Narongsak Osottanakorn said: “We have already talked to them online about the nature of the challenges.”

 

At present, 12 rescue teams are in action, using a variety of approaches in the hope of saving the missing youths. Efforts were on yesterday to find an accessible hole from the top of the cave, to enter the deeper reaches that rescue teams have not been able to from the main entrance.

 

 

Meanwhile, the US-Indo Pacific Command has informed the Thai side that it will dispatch a team of Navy officers and disaster experts as soon as possible to help with the operation, Supreme Commander Thanchaiyan Srisuwan said. The Command chief, Admiral Philip Davidson, has issued urgent orders for dispatch of the team who have expertise in rescue work in the sea and in caves. They are already on their way to Thailand and were expected to arrive yesterday.

 

Weerasak said that the US would also arrange for the dispatch of equipment required for the rescue from Okinawa.

 

Yesterday, the main difficulty confronting divers led by the Navy’s SEAL unit was the increasing water level in the cave following continuous rains. The divers have had to swim through muddy waters in the cave that is full of stalagmites and stalactites.

 

 

Yesterday, the SEALs, tried to reach “Pattaya Beach” in the cave where it is believed the youths may have taken refuge.

The Army has deployed more than 1,000 personnel to survey waterways and to build blockages in an attempt to decrease the flow of water into the cave. Yesterday they erected check dams to divert water from the Pa Mee Cliff from travelling to the cave.

 

Local people in the area expressed readiness to let their houses be flooded as a result of water being pumped out of the cave, saying they were willing to cooperate in the efforts to find the youths.

 

 

Interior Minister General Anupong Paochinda added that hundreds of local, military and rescue officers have been deployed for the search operation.

 

Anupong, however, warned that it was a race against time as rainwater was flooding the limestone cave despite water being pumped out.

 

He said larger water pumps could not be taken into the cave because of the narrow entrance. Heavy fog also surrounded the cave, preventing helicopters from flying above.

 

Rescuers spent all of Tuesday in laying electric wires underwater to enable five water pumps to function. Some pumps also were placed outside to decrease the water level around the cave. He believed, however, that the missing people would not have gone too far from the entrance to evade the flood and they should have their flashlights with them.

 

“With varying depth and the lack of light, even divers with oxygen tanks are having a hard time exploring the cave at some points. In order to dive efficiently, they need some air between the water surface and the cave ceiling,” the minister said. 

 

“More search crews will be deployed in addition to the divers. There should be those rappelling down from a nearby cliff and drills should work their way down through some cavities tomorrow [today],” he said.

 

 

The Energy Ministry would supply the drills while the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry would supply X-ray machines to help scan the cave, he said. Anupong will return to the scene to oversee operations this morning.

 

 

HM King Maha Vajiralongkorn said, through his royal spokesperson, that the search operation should be carried out in the best possible way in the interests of the missing persons, their families and also the rescuers, Premier General Prayut Chan-o-cha said yesterday.

 

“[The King] has closely followed the situation. [On Tuesday], on the Supreme Patriarch’s birthday, he blessed safety for all officers and also to the government,” Prayut said. 

 

Government Spokesman Lt-General Sansern Kaewkamnerd said Prayut had also showed the King’s handwritten message expressing his concern over the missing youths during the Cabinet meeting yesterday.

 

An operation command has been set up to integrate the search force, the premier said. Headed by the provincial governor, the command would consist of the police, the military and civil officers and work on the rescue, media centre, housing for the victims’ families and food supply. “They are sportsmen. I’m certain they are tough enough to survive and wait for the |rescue,” the PM said.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30348777

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-06-28

 

 

 

[chickenslegs]

Would be nice to have some info from The Nation about who they are and what is their expertise.

[NCC1701A]

and what equipment they brought

[Jeremy50]

That's nice, they can join the 1000 people from all over Thailand already working to free the missing boys. A team of 10 to 20 people who really know this cave system well would probably be the answer.

As it's a football team, and the World Cup is on, how long will it be before FIFA sees an opportunity to help it's corruption tarnished image with vigils, minute's silences, cash for the village..........and all that kind of stuff.

[ratcatcher]

36 minutes ago, chickenslegs said:

Would be nice to have some info from The Nation about who they are and what is their expertise.

That will all be revealed on their WP applications. good luck chaps. I hope your assistance ends in a successful rescue of all.

[Somtamnication]

Praying praying.....

[chickenslegs]

The Nation article has now been updated with the following information ...

 

"They are identifeid as Robert Charlie Harper, John Volamthen, Richard William Stanton. In addition to their cave diving skills, they have also surveyed Tham Luang Cave, whereby the victims go missing, before."

 

Encouraging  news. 

[Jonathan Fairfield]

15 hours ago, chickenslegs said:

Would be nice to have some info from The Nation about who they are and what is their expertise.

 

John Volanthen and Richard Stanton are from the the South and Mid Wales Cave Rescue Team (SMWCRT) and have been drafted in to help on cave rescues all over the world. 

[Jonathan Fairfield]

14 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

and what equipment they brought

 

Some photos of the equipment here:

 

 

[sanemax]

15 hours ago, webfact said:

In order to dive efficiently, they need some air between the water surface and the cave ceiling,” the minister said. 

Why is that though ?

Why the need for some air between the water surface and the cave ceiling ?

[DoctorG]

Great to see the Thai authorities enlisting outside help. I really hope that they can work together to end this situation successfully.

[greenchair]

It's been long now. 

It would truly be a miracle to find them alive. I don't think they had time to walk 10 kilometres into the safe pattaya beach. That's a long walk, about 3 hours for an 11 year old. 

The best we can hope for is to at least retrieve their bodies so the families can lay their children to rest. 

Kudos to all the rescue workers that are risking their own lives to bring these kids and their coach home to their parents. 

[stephenterry]

15 minutes ago, greenchair said:

It's been long now. 

It would truly be a miracle to find them alive. I don't think they had time to walk 10 kilometres into the safe pattaya beach. That's a long walk, about 3 hours for an 11 year old. 

The best we can hope for is to at least retrieve their bodies so the families can lay their children to rest. 

Kudos to all the rescue workers that are risking their own lives to bring these kids and their coach home to their parents. 

What a fatuous statement. The best we can hope for is to find them alive, and reunite them with their families. 

[sanemax]

6 minutes ago, greenchair said:

It's been long now. 

It would truly be a miracle to find them alive. I don't think they had time to walk 10 kilometres into the safe pattaya beach. That's a long walk, about 3 hours for an 11 year old. 

 

I isnt 10 kilometers though

[jossthaifarang]

Am I the only one who does not understand how Pattaya beach is inside a cave in Chiang Rai? Anyway, I hope they find the them all alive..

Edited June 28, 2018 by jossthaifarang

[Suradit69]

17 minutes ago, greenchair said:

It's been long now. 

It would truly be a miracle to find them alive. I don't think they had time to walk 10 kilometres into the safe pattaya beach. That's a long walk, about 3 hours for an 11 year old. 

The best we can hope for is to at least retrieve their bodies so the families can lay their children to rest. 

Kudos to all the rescue workers that are risking their own lives to bring these kids and their coach home to their parents. 

Hopefully no family members or friends read your "expert" opinion.

 

[ZeVonderBearz]

What's with the two Thais wanting a photo with them in the airport? Shameless. 

[Kadilo]

23 minutes ago, greenchair said:

It's been long now. 

It would truly be a miracle to find them alive. I don't think they had time to walk 10 kilometres into the safe pattaya beach. That's a long walk, about 3 hours for an 11 year old. 

The best we can hope for is to at least retrieve their bodies so the families can lay their children to rest. 

Kudos to all the rescue workers that are risking their own lives to bring these kids and their coach home to their parents. 

If it would be a miracle to find them alive then surely that is the best you can hope for. 

Edited June 28, 2018 by Kadilo

[sanemax]

2 minutes ago, jossthaifarang said:

Am I the only one who does not understand how Pattaya beach is inside a cave in Chiang Rai? Anyway, I hope they find the them all alive..

Yes, you are the only one 

[cyberfarang]

3 British experts. How exactly expert are they?

 

My money`s on the American Navy and disaster team. Hope they arrive there soon, time is running out, now every minute counts.

[Suradit69]

15 minutes ago, ZeVonderBearz said:

What's with the two Thais wanting a photo with them in the airport? Shameless. 

Another thread being turned into a pointless Thai bashing opportunity. Someone asked to take a photo. How is that shameless?

 

 

 

 

Edited June 28, 2018 by Suradit69

[Kadilo]

3 minutes ago, ZeVonderBearz said:

What's with the two Thais wanting a photo with them in the airport? Shameless. 

I guess someone from Thai Air in a cheap publicity stunt because they gave them free tickets. Pathetic. 

[BobbyL]

6 minutes ago, cyberfarang said:

3 British experts. How exactly expert are they?

 

My money`s on the American Navy and disaster team. Hope they arrive there soon, time is running out, now every minute counts.

U S A, U S A, U S A. Get some. Wooo. 

[kingkenny]

47 minutes ago, sanemax said:

Why is that though ?

Why the need for some air between the water surface and the cave ceiling ?

My guess is water displacement. The mass of the diver is taking the space of water, that water needs somewhere to go, if that somewhere is a few km ahead then I guess it is harder to move through the water. 

[sanemax]

9 minutes ago, kingkenny said:

My guess is water displacement. The mass of the diver is taking the space of water, that water needs somewhere to go, if that somewhere is a few km ahead then I guess it is harder to move through the water. 

Wouldnt the water just go behind the diver ?

[atyclb]

the coach decision to take the boys into the cave during rainy season despite the posted warnings was exceptionally poor.

[cmsally]

12 minutes ago, cyberfarang said:

3 British experts. How exactly expert are they?

 

My money`s on the American Navy and disaster team. Hope they arrive there soon, time is running out, now every minute counts.

Some history on the British rescuers

 

Experts join cave rescue

 

British cave explorers rescued

[b17]

2 minutes ago, atyclb said:

the coach decision to take the boys into the cave during rainy season despite the posted warnings was exceptionally poor.

This is NOT the time to place blame. If you have nothing positive to say, say NOTHING. 

[jossthaifarang]

17 minutes ago, sanemax said:

Yes, you are the only one 

Care to shed some light? Since you are an expert?

 

Last time I checked Pattaya beach was in Pattaya..

 

 

[chang1]

1 minute ago, jossthaifarang said:

Care to shed some light? Since you are an expert?

 

Last time I checked Pattaya beach was in Pattaya..

 

 

Look at the map of the cave