The British heroes who were the first to find Thai boys missing in Tham Luang cave

[webfact]

The British heroes who were the first to find Thai boys missing in Tham Luang cave

 

Richard Stanton, Robert Harper and John Volanthen

 

As Thailand wakes up to the incredible news of the rescue of 12 young footballers and their coach who had been trapped deep underground in the Tham Luang cave in Chiang Rai, more information has been revealed of the British divers who have been credited with finding the group.

 

British divers John Volanthen, Robert Harper and Richard Stanton have been hailed as heroes by the Thai media.

 

The trio, who were among the first foreigners to join the rescue operation, are thought to be part of the South and Mid Wales Cave Rescue Team and are considered the world’s leading experts on exploring underground cave systems.

 

In 2010 they were specifically requested by the French government to help rescue a diver who had been trapped for one week in the Dragonnière Gaud cave near Labastide de Virac in the Ardeche region.

 

Also in 2010, Volanthen, an IT consultant and ultra marathon runner from Bristol, and Stanton, a firefighter from Coventry, were part of a team who set a new world record by diving 5.5 miles into the previously unexplored Pozo Azul cave system in Spain.

 

In 2004 Richard Stanton was also involved in the rescue of 13 British cavers in Mexico.

 

 

The Guardian reports that Stanton is in his mid fifties and is regarded as one of Britain’s foremost cave divers, with more than 35 years experience.

 

He was awarded awarded an MBE in 2012 for services to cave diving, and is often described as the face of British cave diving, and the best cave diver in Europe.

 

“I enjoy the logistical challenge,” Volanthen told the Sunday Times in an interview in 2013.

 

“Getting us and all our kit to the end of such a long cave… it’s like that puzzle with the fox, the chicken and the grain. It’s not dangerous if you do it right. There are just a large number of little things that you have to be on top of at all times.”

 

The BBC reports that the South and Mid Wales Cave Rescue Team have declined to comment on the rescue, while the British Cave Rescue Council, a representative body for cave rescuers in the UK said it does not name rescuers it sends to operations to "allow them to get on with their difficult task without distraction".

 

However, the BCRC did release a short statement which read: "Around 16:30 BST, we started to receive the remarkable news that all 12 of the boys and their coach had been located in a dry air space...

 

"Shortly after this news, we received a direct but short confirmation from our British cave divers of the joyful news that the lost boys had been located alive."

 

Thai Navy Seals last night shared a video of the moment the missing children and their 25 year old coach were found.

 

The video features the voices of two British divers who are believed to be Richard Stanton and John Volanthen.

 

 

Meanwhile, the vice chair of the British Cave Rescue Council, Bill Whitehouse has now released a statement describing the difficult conditions the British divers face.

 

Here is the statement in full:

 

Around 16:30h this afternoon, we started to receive the remarkable news that all 12 of the boys and their coach had been located in a dry air space south of the Pattaya Beach area of Tham Luang Nang Non Cave.

 

It is estimated that they are around 200 m south of that underground landmark.

 

Shortly after this news, we received a direct (but short confirmation) from our British cave divers of the joyful news that the lost boys had been located alive. Video footage of the boys and their coach has now been released and shown to families waiting on the surface.

 

Two British, volunteer cave divers found the boys at their current location, but the last 36 hours have seen a coordinated and planned approach to the rescue being led by the Thai Military and involving many other nations (including the USA, Chinese, Australians and others).

 

Equipment and air supplies have been ferried in to the system over the last day or so, enabling the divers to progress further in to the system than was previously possible. Diving lines have been laid to the boys’ location for other divers to follow with essential food, comforts and medical supplies.

 

We believe that there is only a short break in the monsoon and all feasible options for the rescue of the boys are being considered. Although water levels have dropped, the diving conditions remain difficult and any attempt to dive the boys and their coach out will not be taken lightly because there are significant technical challenges and risks to consider.

 

It is estimated that the boys are around 2 km into the cave and somewhere between 800 m to 1km below the surface. They are also located in a relatively small space and this would make any potential drilling attempt as a means of rescue very difficult.

 

Back here in the UK, there is an assessment of electronic equipment that may be suitable to pin-point the underground location of the boys and coach with a greater degree of accuracy than the published surveys.

 

The necessary equipment will be sent to Thailand if electronic experts agree on the feasibility that it will operate over such depths.

 

*Updated to add statement from the British Cave Rescue Council

** Updated to add information about Richard Stanton

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2018-07-03

 

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First conversation between UK divers and stranded youths

By The Nation

 

The Thai Navy SEAL Facebook page has released a clip of the first encounter between two UK divers and the 12 footballers and their coach trapped in the Tham Luang cave.

 

Following is the transcript of the conversation as released on the Facebook page:

 

Diver: Raise your hands.

 

Boy: Thank you [crying].

 

Diver: How many of you?

 

Boy: Thirteen.

 

Diver: Thirteen?

 

Boy: Yeah, yeah.

 

Diver: Brilliant.

 

Boy: [Voice difficult to be heard]

 

Diver: No, not today. Just two of us. We have to dive.

 

We are coming. It’s OK. Many people are coming. Many, many people. We are the first. Many people come.

 

Boy: What day?

 

Diver 1: Tomorrow.

 

Diver 2: No, no, no, what day is it?

 

Diver: Monday. OK, but one week ... uh, Monday. You have been here for 10 days. You are very strong.

 

Boy: [Speaking in Thai]: Who know English, translate for us.

 

Boy 2: [Speaking in Thai]: Can’t catch up with the words.

 

Diver: We’ll come.

 

Boy: We are hungry.

 

Diver: I know, I know. I understand. We’ll come.

 

Boy 1: [In Thai]: They will take our photos first.

 

Boy 2: [In Thai]: Tell them we are hungry.

 

Boy1: I’ve told them. They know.

 

Boy: What day you come to help me?

 

Diver: We come here, we have been diving here for what ... Tomorrow, we’ll help tomorrow. The Navy, Navy SEAL tomorrow. With the food, the doctor and ...

 

Today, a light? You have a light. We’ll give you more light.

 

[Sound of somebody falling into water]

 

Boy: Come up. Brother, rush up.

 

Diver: That looks fun.

 

Boy: I am very happy.

 

Diver: We are happy too.

 

Boy: Thank you so much.

 

Diver: OK

 

Boy: Where you come from?

 

Diver: England, UK.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30349185

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-07-03

[lannarebirth]

Had to read it three times to assure myself that the heroic Brits were not themselves now missing in the cave. Whew, and well done!

[simon43]

Hearing this wonderful news, allow me to insert a little light-humour.....

 

[newcomer71]

This video moved me to tears... Great job guys, wonderful job. You are true heroes. And you little guys have been unbelievably strong. Keep strong and once you will be out of there, recover quickly and have a happy and prosperous life.

[Dmaxdan]

Well done lads! Brave men who are willing to risk their own safety to save others in dire need. A superhuman effort by all involved. 

[Thailand]

Heroes all, the boys, the coach, the rescuers- all involved.

 

What a great day.

[yougivemebaby]

Some great news.  ! All rescue workers are my champions. However Absolutely all cave divers there deserve some serious recognition.  Cave diving is absolutely insane to begin with. They went in with very little visibility. Not sure if anyone could imagine being in a closed dark area underground with very little viability and zero room for error. These guys went in with no concern for their own safety. These are true hero’s. Thank you so much ! 

[AsianAtHeart]

The more skilled and expert one makes the British rescuers out to be, the more it magnifies the problem of how to get the children out.  If it requires no ordinary expertise, nerves of steel, etc. to dive through the cave's thousands of meters of partially submerged tunnels and crawlspaces successfully, with training involving countless former dives, there is a serious question mark hanging over the feasibility of removing the children via scuba.

 

This is not naysaying negativity by any means, but a simple reality that all should readily understand.  It is no simple task to rescue these children, even though they have now been found.  In some ways, the more difficult parts still lie ahead.

[webfact]

Found alive on tenth day, Thai boys wait to be brought safely out of flooded cave

 

A family member looks at a photo near Tham Luang cave complex, as members of under-16 soccer team and their coach have been found alive according to a local media's report in the northern province of Chiang Rai, Thailand, July 2, 2018. REUTERS/Soe Zeya Tun

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Twelve boys and their soccer coach found alive after ten days trapped deep inside a flooded cave will have to bear their ordeal for longer while rescuers work out how to bring them safely out, the governor of Chiang Rai province said on Tuesday.

 

Divers struggled through narrow passages and murky waters to discover the boys late on Monday night on an elevated rock about 4 kilometres (2.5 miles) from the mouth of the cave.

 

A video shot by rescuers in flickering torchlight revealed boys clad in shorts and red and blue shirts sitting or standing on the rock above an expanse of water.

 

"How many of you are there - 13? Brilliant," a member of the multinational rescue team, speaking in English, tells the boys. "You have been here 10 days. You are very strong."

 

"Thank you," one of the boys says.

 

One of the boys asks when they will get out of the cave, to which the rescuer answers: "Not today. You have to dive."

 

Two British divers, John Volanthen and Rick Stanton, were first to reach the boys, having had strong experience in cave rescues, according to Bill Whitehouse, the vice chairman of the British Cave Rescue Council (BCRC).

 

They found the group along with a team of Thai navy SEAL divers.

 

The boys survival was greeted with jubilation nationwide by Thais who have followed every twist of the harrowing story.

 

Aged between 11 and 16, the boys went missing with the 25-year-old after soccer practice on June 23 after they set out to explore the Tham Luang cave complex in a forest park near Thailand's northern border with Myanmar.

 

Rescuers now have to decide how best to get the group out in their weakened condition.

 

"If you ask me now while we are still assessing all sides then I don't think they will be home soon,"Chiang Rai governor Narongsak Osottanakorn told reporters.

 

The group's health was assessed overnight by medical teams which will continue to check the health of the group on Monday, said Narongsak, explaining that the boys had sustained light injuries.

 

"We categorized their health condition as red, yellow or green, red being the most severe injuries, yellow being mild and green being light. Yesterday, unofficially, we assessed that most are in the green category," said Narongsak.

 

Narongsak said rescue workers would now focus on the "rescue" phase and then a handover to medical teams waiting outside the cave.

 

(Additional reporting by Amy Sawitta Lefevre and Panarat Thepgumpanat; Writing by Amy Sawitta Lefevre; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-07-03

[jesimps]

13 minutes ago, yougivemebaby said:

Some great news.  ! All rescue workers are my champions. However Absolutely all cave divers there deserve some serious recognition.  Cave diving is absolutely insane to begin with. They went in with very little visibility. Not sure if anyone could imagine being in a closed dark area underground with very little viability and zero room for error. These guys went in with no concern for their own safety. These are true hero’s. Thank you so much ! 

People talk about footballers and pop stars earning shedloads of money being heroes. These guys on the video are the real heroes and if they don't receive a knighthood in next years honours list, then I'll lose my faith in human nature.

[darksidedog]

The spirit of cooperation in finding these lads has been amazing. Congratulations and Thank you to all those who worked tirelessly to find them.

[kannot]

59 minutes ago, webfact said:

The BBC reports that the South and Mid Wales Cave Rescue Team have declined to comment on the rescue, while the British Cave Rescue Council, a representative body for cave rescuers in the UK said it does not name rescuers it sends to operations to "allow them to get on with their difficult task without distraction"

British to the last ?

[CGW]

Great TEAM effort by all involved :) 

[evadgib]

 The 'Ashamed to be British' brigade can take the day off today! ?

Well done to all rescuers and their vast support network between cave and surface.

Edited July 3, 2018 by evadgib

[CGW]

10 minutes ago, evadgib said:

 The 'Ashamed to be British' brigade will take the day off today! ?

Well done to all rescuers and their vast support network.

I reckon there are quite a few who need to take a day off and consider how little there negativity contributed over the past week 

Notable silence from some today, nice respite! ? 

[MaxLee]

Great job, you International guys,..... 

 

Somebody in power won't like it, that some professional Falang has stolen their spotlight,..... if you know what I mean..... 

[Nowisee]

Great news last night.  It brightened my thoughts.  

Well done to all those directly involved, especially those in the cave system supporting the divers and most especially to the rescue divers.  They are the very best at what they do.  

Well done to the coach for taking them into the cave (this will be sorted out later I'm sure) and keeping them safe.  
Well done to the 12 kids for being incredibly strong and I dare say brave.  Not a lot of kids can say they were trapped in a dark flooded cave for 10 days. 

 

This was a great learning experience for all those involved. 

Edited July 3, 2018 by Nowisee

[sammieuk1]

I am sure the 3 Brit divers will agree they were the tip of a massive Thai/international effort to find the boys now get them out for the rest of the world cup we are going to score 1 more than you.

[ravip]

7 minutes ago, MaxLee said:

Great job, you International guys,..... 

 

Somebody in power won't like it, that some professional Falang has stolen their spotlight,..... if you know what I mean..... 

You are 'exceptional' - lesser the better.

[evadgib]

Wife: "Wake up! English Diver find boy, still alive!"

Me (half asleep at 0630): "Blimey, your jossticks are pretty good! "?

 

Edited July 3, 2018 by evadgib

[NCC1701A]

Well done UK heroes.

 

no doubt there will be more former UK rescue cave divers than SAS and MI6/CIA agents talking sh*t in Pattaya bars from now on. 

[NoshowJones]

It does not matter who found them first, they were found safely due to all those involved in the rescue work. no matter what their nationality is, and Thailand owes them all a big thanks, and knowing the ordinary Thai people as I do, they will be greatful to all these people responsible for these boys and their coach for being found safe and well.

[delgarcon]

So, the Brits were there at the end, great news. In return, we have a small request, CAN WE HAVE A FEW MORE BAHT TO THE POUND?

[Familyonthemove]

Those heroic guys must have a seriously high resistance to claustrophobia! And be incredibly fit.

 

And credit to the Thai Navy team who were supporting them - they will not be used to working under such conditions.

[webfact]

Rescuers Should Learn From British Cave Team: Analyst

By Chayanit Itthipongmaetee, Staff Reporter

 

Robert Charles Harper, left, and diver Richard William Stanton, middle, at Tham Luang Nang Non in Chiang Rai last week.

 

CHIANG RAI — A British trio was the first to find 12 missing boys and their football coach alive inside a northern cave complex on the ninth night of their rescue efforts – but some weren’t surprised.

 

Pipob Udomittipong, foreign affairs commentator, said he was unsurprised the small foreign team discovered the group first instead of Thai rescuers – comprised of hundreds of officers.

 

Full story:  http://www.khaosodenglish.com/featured/2018/07/03/rescuers-should-learn-from-british-cave-team-analyst/

 

-- © Copyright Khaosod English 2018-07-03

[NCC1701A]

Thais could learn many things from all the Farangs.

 

But no.

 

Maybe they will file this experience in the back of their heads and stop and listen for a change.

Edited July 3, 2018 by NCC1701A

[Ralf61]

Uh, the Knowing-betters are waking up...

[SneekyPete]

It's important to bear in mind that these 3 fellows possess an uncommon skill set. Very few do what they do. They have been deployed in other similar situations where most others are not able to go.

 

Let's all just be grateful that they were called in, as they definitely brought added value to this rescue operation. And leave it at that for the moment. The 'lessons learned' can wait for another day.

[kannot]

10 minutes ago, Ralf61 said:

Uh, the Knowing-betters are waking up...

This from the Thai  foreign affairs  commentator, so youd  better give him a  call too.... Pipob Udomittipong

 

“The British team was so determined that they refused to give an interview to anyone,” said Pipob. “They had a pretty clear idea about how to rescue the victims. They just dove and dove.”

Pipob – who followed the search since day one – said the maps of the caves used by different departments did not even share the same information.

“Thai officials were confused. For example, one department wanted to drill into the cave, another wanted to pump water out,” Pipob said. “We needed better cooperation.”

Pipob also said some Thai media were to blame, adding that instead of focusing on heavy criticism against the deputy police chief’s work, it should have educated the public by providing information about the cave: from its ecosystem and dangers to survival and prevention guides.

[ravip]

12 minutes ago, Ralf61 said:

Uh, the Knowing-betters are waking up...

Thankfully the dooms day predictors have gone to sleep, after their sleepless days of hard work. Now... lets wait another couple of hours for the battalion of experts to wake up and start advicing the Thais while singing hallelujahs!

 

To state it very mildly, some should really be ashamed of themselves!