Tham Luang cave: 31 army frogmen to join SEAL team in extraction mission

[webfact]

31 army frogmen to join SEAL team in extraction mission

By Thai PBS

 

 

The Army today sent a team of 31 frogmen from the special force and the 21st Infantry Regiment to assist the Navy SEAL team in the mission to extract the 13 survivors out of the flooded cave.

 

Army deputy spokesperson Colonel Sirichan Ngathong said today that Army Commander-in-Chief General Gen Chalermchai Sitthisart ordered the frogmen to be flown to Chiang Rai to assist in the rescue mission.

 

She said that the 32 frogmen had undergone training in combat diving and a course in special diving.

 

Full story: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/31-army-frogmen-join-seal-team-extraction-mission/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2018-07-05

[champers]

Good luck to them and all other rescuers. Fingers crossed the weather stays fair.

[gk10002000]

Remember the south american miners trapped below ground for all those weeks? They survived and got rescued.  Some did better than others in that tough situation but physically they got out.  Be patient, don't panic.

[gk10002000]

  Soon they will pass in an ethernet line and connect them with skype, PC, etc.  Sounds like the best thing is to just take them out in stages, like maybe a hundred yards at a time depending on what the cave layout is.  Of course a big factor is what is the projected worst case water level that might happen in the monsoon season?  That is the immediate time factor, assuming the kids have no severe physical or mental condition that needs quick attention now

[Thailand]

Despite a great deal of advice to the contrary there seems to be an almighty rush to get the boys out.

I guess they know what they are doing.

[canuckamuck]

2 minutes ago, Thailand said:

Despite a great deal of advice to the contrary there seems to be an almighty rush to get the boys out.

I guess they know what they are doing.

The weather has been really good, but everyone knows the big rains are coming. This might very well be the only chance as no one knows what happens back in those caves when the rains really get going. I think they should at least be perfecting the plan to get them out sooner than later. 

[Justfine]

32 minutes ago, gk10002000 said:

  Soon they will pass in an ethernet line and connect them with skype, PC, etc.  Sounds like the best thing is to just take them out in stages, like maybe a hundred yards at a time depending on what the cave layout is.  Of course a big factor is what is the projected worst case water level that might happen in the monsoon season?  That is the immediate time factor, assuming the kids have no severe physical or mental condition that needs quick attention now

Stages would be good if other chambers are safer then current position. 

[Briggsy]

I wondered when the Army would feel the need to get in on this. The Navy has been stealing all its thunder.

[colinneil]

Great news getting more divers in to help.

Only problem will be inter- service rivalry, this is how to do it, no we do it this way, then the problems will start.

[gk10002000]

25 minutes ago, canuckamuck said:

The weather has been really good, but everyone knows the big rains are coming. This might very well be the only chance as no one knows what happens back in those caves when the rains really get going. I think they should at least be perfecting the plan to get them out sooner than later. 

rain and more water of course will make things more difficult.  But it should be pretty easy for the experts to tell where the past years and years of high water marks are?  That should give some guidelines on the best method and timeline to proceed

[greenchair]

51 minutes ago, Thailand said:

Despite a great deal of advice to the contrary there seems to be an almighty rush to get the boys out.

I guess they know what they are doing.

There was a high order to move things along a bit. 

[Eligius]

58 minutes ago, Thailand said:

Despite a great deal of advice to the contrary there seems to be an almighty rush to get the boys out.

I guess they know what they are doing.

I agree with you. But I think the very real fear is that flash floods could come again very soon and then completely inundate that area where the poor boys and their assistant coach have taken refuge. 

 

It's an awful dilemma ...

[BEVUP]

They will do this very soon (maybe Thur or before )

Due to the rains that will no doubt rise water levels & making the current alot stronger & increasing return times for the divers going back for other kids & replenishing air tanks

I think if the rains really get going the place will flood, as those narrow passages are like a bottle neck, hence the strong current

[tingtongtourist]

13 minutes ago, Eligius said:

I agree with you. But I think the very real fear is that flash floods could come again very soon and then completely inundate that area where the poor boys and their assistant coach have taken refuge. 

 

It's an awful dilemma ...

Reading some reports seem to suggest the pattaya beach area is quite large and high up.

Possibly are spots that will never flood, maybe being surrounded by many very deep cavern that will pass the water along.

this place is not like a flat river bed you know!

 

The experts will know, but for sure some TV posters can always find the negative.

 

Eligius, at least now you give hope for other "sheepish" posters that can post their doom and gloom rubbish!

[AsianAtHeart]

9 minutes ago, tingtongtourist said:

Reading some reports seem to suggest the pattaya beach area is quite large and high up.

Possibly are spots that will never flood, maybe being surrounded by many very deep cavern that will pass the water along.

this place is not like a flat river bed you know!

 

The experts will know, but for sure some TV posters can always find the negative.

 

Eligius, at least now you give hope for other "sheepish" posters that can post their doom and gloom rubbish!

Tingtong,

 

You should be aware that the area called Pattaya Beach, as large and high up as it is, defied expectations of being a dry spot and was under water, which is why the students and coach had moved to the next higher chamber some 400 meters beyond.  From the maps I've seen in the news (which may not be accurate, of course), the cave does not ascend much higher from where they had taken refuge--they were in about the safest spot, and from the video coverage it appears they are not much above the level of the water.  Consider that the divers had to lay line underwater right up to where the students were.  How many people have spent the rainy season holed up in the cave to know where it floods and where it doesn't?  If they have, remember that skeletons don't pass along much information to the rest of us.  There are simply no experts who could confirm safe harbourage anywhere in the cave.

[khaowong1]

1 hour ago, Briggsy said:

I wondered when the Army would feel the need to get in on this. The Navy has been stealing all its thunder.

I was pretty much thinking the same thing.  Next up, the Air Force.  LOL. 

[BEVUP]

5 minutes ago, AsianAtHeart said:

You should be aware that the area called Pattaya Beach, as large and high up as it is, defied expectations of being a dry spot and was under water, which is why the students and coach had moved to the next higher chamber some 400 meters beyond. 

& that's the thing 

These Chambers may be big but if the narrow (bottle neck ) tunnels are reducing water flow it will back up submerging the land 

Look where the levels were prior to pumping & now after days of pumping. 

Now they will be facing maybe 2/3/4 times the amount, so they have to move now

[greenchair]

Apparently there were heavy rains last night. 

I just don't see how a child that can't swim can dive out by themselves. Usually a not swimmer will panic. There might be a few that could do it.

I wish them all well. 

The situation is not good for them. 

[stevenl]

4 minutes ago, greenchair said:

Apparently there were heavy rains last night. 

I just don't see how a child that can't swim can dive out by themselves. Usually a not swimmer will panic. There might be a few that could do it.

I wish them all well. 

The situation is not good for them. 

I don't foresee any major issues, depending on the weather today or tomorrow.

 

You were wrong earlier and are wrong again.

Edited July 5, 2018 by stevenl

[Darkside Gray]

It's going to get awfully crowded down there.

[tingtongtourist]

29 minutes ago, AsianAtHeart said:

Tingtong,

 

You should be aware that the area called Pattaya Beach, as large and high up as it is, defied expectations of being a dry spot and was under water, which is why the students and coach had moved to the next higher chamber some 400 meters beyond.  From the maps I've seen in the news (which may not be accurate, of course), the cave does not ascend much higher from where they had taken refuge--they were in about the safest spot, and from the video coverage it appears they are not much above the level of the water.  Consider that the divers had to lay line underwater right up to where the students were.  How many people have spent the rainy season holed up in the cave to know where it floods and where it doesn't?  If they have, remember that skeletons don't pass along much information to the rest of us.  There are simply no experts who could confirm safe harbourage anywhere in the cave.

Good to know. Thanks for this posting as i am not read up to date.

 

Very strange they even mention this "4 months supply of food"  idea if they are in such a danger spot.

 

[greenchair]

1 hour ago, stevenl said:

I don't foresee any major issues, depending on the weather today or tomorrow.

 

You were wrong earlier and are wrong again.

I didn't say they would or would not make it. 

I said, I don't see how a non swimmer could do it. 

I'm hoping they can pump the water down far enough so they can wade out. It is a chat site you know. People are just verbally sharing their thoughts. Nobody professes to be either right or wrong. People that read shares on a chat site as gospel to perceived fact, really don't understand the concept of a chat site. It's all just meaningless idol chatter to join a social gathering. 

Calm down. Nothing on here is going to be used as a blueprint to the rescue. 

[khaowong1]

On ‎7‎/‎4‎/‎2018 at 6:22 PM, Darkside Gray said:

It's going to get awfully crowded down there.

And now their saying, all these people are causing the oxygen levels to drop dangerously.  In fact, one diver has appeared to die already. Whether it's lack of oxygen or what, don't know.

[Sheryl]

To my understanding it is the combination of the imminent heavy rains (with fear that even the area they currently stay could be inundated) and dropping oxygen levels in the cave (which might worsen with inundation) that are leading them to feel that extraction now is the lesser risk (though obviously still risky). And they know that if they do nto do it soon it will no longer be an option.

 

The Minister of the Interior has flown up there and a press conference is about to start, rumor is there will be a major announcement and of course having sent for the frog men certainly supports that idea.

[BEVUP]

11 hours ago, Sheryl said:

To my understanding it is the combination of the imminent heavy rains (with fear that even the area they currently stay could be inundated) and dropping oxygen levels in the cave (which might worsen with inundation) that are leading them to feel that extraction now is the lesser risk (though obviously still risky). And they know that if they do nto do it soon it will no longer be an option.

 

The Minister of the Interior has flown up there and a press conference is about to start, rumor is there will be a major announcement and of course having sent for the frog men certainly supports that idea.

Exactly right Sheryl

As i was saying to wife 

When the rains come they will have to all retreat as what they have gained now will all be lost & it would be like a 12 hr trip one in if possible

There is no other choice, & the chambers shall flood. 

It's like how do you get all that water through the narrow bits in one hit, let alone more of a decrease in oxygen when water makes the area smaller

[Eligius]

3 minutes ago, BEVUP said:

Exactly right Sheryl

As i was saying to wife 

When the rains come they will have to all retreat as what they have gained now will all be lost & it would be like a 12 hr trip one in if possible

There is no other choice, & the chambers shall flood. 

It's like how do you get all that water through the narrow bits in one hit, let alone more of a decrease in oxygen when water makes the area smaller

Yes - it's a terrible, terrible dilemma as to what decision to take. 

And the decision-makers - whom I do not envy - will have to live with their decision, for good or ill, for the rest of their lives. 

This whole situation is just so utterly awful. No wonder the hearts of the whole world go out to these boys and to all the valiant rescuers .....

[Ron19]

Some off topic troll posts have been removed.

This is not a time for childish humour.