CAVE MAN: Phuket diver Ben Reymenants relives four days in Tham Luang cave rescue mission 

Matt Pond

 

Ben Reymenants (right) and his team members chat before being escorted by a Thai rescue worker to Tham Luang cave last Sunday (July 1). Photo: Lillian Suwanrumpha / AFP

 

PHUKET: Since late on June 23, virtually the entire nation has been gripped by the saga of 12 young boys and their football coach trapped inside the Tham Luang cave in the northern Chiang Rai province.

 

However, late on Monday night (July 2), what was originally anticipation – waiting to hear news on the boys and their coach – turned to jubilation after it was announced that all 13 had been found safe and well in the depths of the northern Thai cave.

 

Since Monday’s announcement there have been several names of foreign rescue workers mentioned in national and international media, one of those names being Ben Reymenants, owner and founder of the long-established Blue Label Diving company based in Rawai, Phuket.

 

Full story: https://www.thephuketnews.com/cave-man-phuket-diver-ben-reymenants-relives-four-days-in-tham-luang-cave-rescue-mission-67785.php#hbPZtIlCTYu268w6.97

 

 

-- © Copyright Phuket News 2018-07-07

Well done Ben.  Reading the full article it sounds like it was a very difficult endeavour.

Not sure if I like his style, some trumpet blowing in that text.

15 minutes ago, Belzybob said:

Not sure if I like his style, some trumpet blowing in that text.

WHY NOT, he deserves a bit of praise.

Does the team and stay behinds have the supply’s at ther location to wait out the monsoon at this time?

Don't shoot the messenger:

My wife has just told me the "Belgian guy" (and it did name the guy above) who has been talking to the media has been told he's not wanted back on site. Apparently he has been promoting himself and hasn't done much to help with the rescue mission.

This is according to a youtube "news" channel - google "PPTV HD36 youtube" As I say - don't flame me about it.

 

Yes you have to wonder if he's as good as he seems to indicate why they don't want him anymore !! More to this for sure 

This guy seems to like the limelight. He has been on just about every news channel and every newspaper I have seen, he's been talking on CNN, Sky News, BBC, FOX to name a few.

 

He was saying on Sky News on Thursday that they were going to start bringing the kids out on Friday!

6 hours ago, soalbundy said:

WHY NOT, he deserves a bit of praise.

Most praise is given when merited, and most people don't need to ask for it.

 

 

He's had his reigns pulled several times over the years but hats off to him for his work dating back at least as far as the tsunami. 

 

His driving scared the shit out of me ?

Quote

“On my way back I met the British cave team, who also had doubts, and we decided to report that the rescue would be unsafe in these conditions. However, when we heard the next day that the Navy SEALs would try anyway, using conventional scuba gear and having little cave experience, I decided it would be better if I pushed ahead, against the advice of the British cave divers, who were already packing their bags.

Smells of BS to me.

'These chambers [such as where the boys are holed up] are known to stay dry during monsoon and contain enough oxygen for several months.' 
 

If this is true - and it is the first time I have heard anyone say this with any degree of confidence- then it makes one uneasy over the seemingly precipitate rush to get the boys out of the cave this very weekend ...

 

I suspect, however, that this chap is saying more than is reliably known.

 

Edited July 7, 20188 yr by Eligius

Sounds full of shit, typical Belgian. It's clear to us all who the real talent is on site and let's just say they don't speak Flemish or Thai. 

5 hours ago, Bangkok Ape said:

Sounds full of shit, typical Belgian. It's clear to us all who the real talent is on site and let's just say they don't speak Flemish or Thai. 

I wouldn't think poorly of anyone who is prepared to go diving in that cave under those conditions, they are all brave men and one man has already lost his life.

18 hours ago, soalbundy said:

WHY NOT, he deserves a bit of praise.

Time will tell, in fact rumours are already out there.

Finding the boys was a team effort.

 

I would say the most heroic effort, by my definition at least, was probably put in by the Thai Navy divers. Despite lack of cave diving experience or the equipment for such a task, they went ahead anyway, making it possible for cave divers like the guys from the Welsh cave rescue team, Ben and others to get anywhere near the boys.

1 hour ago, Belzybob said:

Time will tell, in fact rumours are already out there.

How was your time in the cave system, lots of fun? 

A troll post has been removed. 

Who was it that "found" the team?  The Welsh team who arrived, did the search, found the team, made their report and left - job done.  No hurrahs, no horn blowing, nothing but get on and do the necessary.  Anybody, such as the person called Ben who apparently owes a scuba dive teaching facility, who stood in the sidelines and did not contribute, as far as we know, is only trying to drum up business.  Just a thought.  Cave diving is not the same as just going down, swimming around and coming back up.  It is a very specialised and precarious part of diving and needs special training to become truly proficient.  It is also one of the most dangerous specialised aspects of scuba diving and not everybody can do it. 

Edited July 8, 20188 yr by wotsdermatter

Jeez, it's not the bloody world cup, is it? A huge team consisting of divers and others found the boys.

 

By the way, I do know Ben, who he is an extreme cave / technical diver. I did not see it with my own eyes, but I believe he was one of the first trained cave divers in there, laying lines that the Thai Navy divers and later the Brits used and also followed cave line that other divers laid.

13 minutes ago, AdamBernau said:

Jeez, it's not the bloody world cup, is it? A huge team consisting of divers and others found the boys.

 

By the way, I do know Ben, who he is an extreme cave / technical diver. I did not see it with my own eyes, but I believe he was one of the first trained cave divers in there, laying lines that the Thai Navy divers and later the Brits used and also followed cave line that other divers laid.

Too many English, here  ? he did the first 2.5 kms, the others follows

congratulations for the Welsh who found the kids, but as said before, it was a team work and the guy admitted he found them because his rope was too short 

He's just been barred from the operation now? Thai authorities threw him out for giving false information on interviews

Now it's on to the Belgian guy, who did what he could, sure he had to spend lot of cash to reach to the cave?

 

That in itself is more than all of us mere talkers ever did.

 

Give the guy some credit. No matter what - he tried.

To bash him will be unfair.

 

If he was incapable which I doubt, then let it be.

 

If on the other hand, he had a hard time with 'better know' people,

let him forget the whole thing and take his gear back to Phuket,

'cause you 're damned if you you and damned if you don't.

 

 

21 hours ago, Belzybob said:

Not sure if I like his style, some trumpet blowing in that text.

These types don't brag.....they're freakin' brave people.....!

Telling it as it is

On ‎7‎/‎7‎/‎2018 at 10:03 AM, rooster59 said:

Since Monday’s announcement there have been several names of foreign rescue workers mentioned in national and international media, one of those names being Ben Reymenants, owner and founder of the long-established Blue Label Diving company based in Rawai, Phuket.

Well done sir, thank you for your perseverance and your dedication.

Big up to Ben Reymenants and his team members #Heros. We thank you for everything.

22 minutes ago, digbeth said:

He's just been barred from the operation now? Thai authorities threw him out for giving false information on interviews

That is my understanding as well though I think the term used was "creating confusion".

 

In an operation like this there has to be a clear chain of command and official channels of communication. Even if what one is saying is correct, should not give individual interviews without coordinating with the Command Center.

 

Note that the Brit cave rescuers have not talked to the media, nor have the US Seals (except for their official spokeswoman, sent for the purpose of drawing off the media and well versed in the art of saying nothing pleasantly) nor the Aus divers.

2 hours ago, Sheryl said:

That is my understanding as well though I think the term used was "creating confusion".

 

In an operation like this there has to be a clear chain of command and official channels of communication. Even if what one is saying is correct, should not give individual interviews without coordinating with the Command Center.

 

Note that the Brit cave rescuers have not talked to the media, nor have the US Seals (except for their official spokeswoman, sent for the purpose of drawing off the media and well versed in the art of saying nothing pleasantly) nor the Aus divers.

This has worked against Ben in previous ops too, but hats off to him for doing his bit whenever needed including during the tsunami.

It is my understanding this info may actually be fake news, based on libel.

Edited July 8, 20188 yr by AdamBernau

3 hours ago, Sheryl said:

...

Note that the Brit cave rescuers have not talked to the media, nor have the US Seals (except for their official spokeswoman, sent for the purpose of drawing off the media and well versed in the art of saying nothing pleasantly) nor the Aus divers.

Brilliant...! "(...well versed in the art of saying nothing pleasantly)".... Unlike so many here who are well versed in the art of saying nothing unpleasantly...