It would make sense for Thai Seals to accompany the boys and coach while the 7 British Cave experts stayed put at the difficult areas to assist and Make sure they get through okay . Main reason as communication with them will be needed and I doubt the young lads speak English. That's what I would imagine will happen of course with the other diving experts positioned also at strategic points to assist . Not easy ,,! !!

It would make sense for Thai Seals to accompany the boys and coach while the 7 British Cave experts stayed put at the difficult areas to assist and Make sure they get through okay . Main reason as communication with them will be needed and I doubt the young lads speak English. That's what I would imagine will happen of course with the other diving experts positioned also at strategic points to assist . Not easy ,,! !!

Hard to talk English with a regulator in your mouth, sign language is usually sufficient

7 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

32 minutes ago, Nigeone said:

It would make sense for Thai Seals to accompany the boys and coach while the 7 British Cave experts stayed put at the difficult areas to assist and Make sure they get through okay . Main reason as communication with them will be needed and I doubt the young lads speak English. That's what I would imagine will happen of course with the other diving experts positioned also at strategic points to assist . Not easy ,,! !!

Hard to talk English with a regulator in your mouth, sign language is usually sufficient

Yes agreed but instructions before going through the submersible areas and on coming out the other side going on the maps of the cave would be a benefit .most of the journey if we are to believe the maps is walking .Can't see them being able to sign with the lads who are really completely beginners and would be surprised if they have been able to teach and it register reckonised dive language 

28 minutes ago, lannarebirth said:

 

Makes sense.

 

To be continued........

 

(But hopefully not)

 

 

 

3 hours ago, Nigeone said:

Yes I'm sure your right but I wonder if in this case there education system might help. We in the western world having been taught to think for themselves would im sure be running through all the various scenarios while the Thai lads won't really know what awaits them . The young Thais that I've met are very simplistic be it lovely . I'm hoping this might help the extraction . The old 'don't think to much ' which I'm sure we've all heard might help them hopefully ..just a thought !

"Thai lads won't really know what awaits them"

 

Are you for real? Thank god your not running the show...those kids would have been briefed over and over. The dumbest thing to any normal person would be to keep them in the dark so they Completely freak out at the first obstacle.

10 minutes ago, BangkokSausage said:

"Thai lads won't really know what awaits them"

 

Are you for real? Thank god your not running the show...those kids would have been briefed over and over. The dumbest thing to any normal person would be to keep them in the dark so they Completely freak out at the first obstacle.

Maybe they will have been told ..I'm not convinced if they have it wouldnt be in any detail. And would they understand !?? 

6 hours ago, darksidedog said:

While I totally understand the sentiment in getting them out, I do hope they are doing the right thing. Even a single death from being hasty is unacceptable. I wish them every success possible and hope the kids are all reunited with their families. To wake up in the morning hearing they are safe would be the most welcome news possible. This is a drama that needs resolution, but of the right kind, given the effort and sacrifice made already.

I understand your concern and definately want this to happen, everybody safe and the rescue mission to go as quick as possible. However, believing that it would only take around one night sleep to rescue all 13 seems a little bit far fetched to me.

6 hours ago, JimmyTheMook said:

Not a joking matter, these kids are suffering and their parents can't

be fairing well either.

 

 

 

You seem to have misinterpreted a couple of serious comments as a joke. Intestinal fortitude means guts, and it's more colourful cousin means balls of steel, something these rescuers have in spades. Pretty obvious that no disrespect was meant in either case, and certainly not to the poor kids or their families. But this is an adult forum, and these are commonplace expressions in English.

5 hours ago, GBW said:

No I am a doctor, nor an expert, but a 5/1 mg Diazaphan maybe helpful.  always helps relax muscles and mind..

The meditation lessons the coach has been training the lads, will also be a positive, as they all do have trust and faith in him. 

Cheers  

GBW

 

Incredible! Drugging people that are going to cave-dive???? Any more great ideas?

 

4 hours ago, jenny2017 said:

I'm certain that doctors will take that into consideration. A dosage of max. 5- 7 mg of Diazepam ( Valium) could not do a damage to kids their age. ( That's from my niece, who's a doctor). It wouldn't let them panic and they'd feel relaxed. 

 

Incredible! Drugging people that are going to cave-dive???? Any more great ideas?

Just pray that they haven't left their run too late! 

 

5 minutes ago, Get Real said:

Incredible! Drugging people that are going to cave-dive???? Any more great ideas?

 

 

Incredible! Drugging people that are going to cave-dive???? Any more great ideas?

This was already the suggestion of one of the caving experts on site. It may well be what they choose to do if they have the medication there as part of what they've taken in previously. The dosage would need to be considered carefully based on body weight, the fact that they're minors and undernourished, but something like valium might well help in terms of mental relaxation and pacing themselves for a lengthy endeavour. If the kids' role in the evacuation is a mostly passive one, it might be essential.

 

Tbere seems to have been some conflating in early discussions however between the aforementioned mild sedation, and knocking them out and taking them out like a parcel. This seems fraught with risk, not least on their abilities to continue breathing. Anaesthesia happens only under extremely controlled conditions, in this case it's got to be a complete no no. 

Thai rescuers evacuate cave area, rescue bid for trapped boys seen imminent

By Patpicha Tanakasempipat and James Pomfret

 

Rescue workers take cover from the rain, outside Tham Luang cave complex, where 12 schoolboys and their soccer coach are trapped inside a flooded cave, in the northern province of Chiang Rai, Thailand, July 7, 2018. REUTERS/Tyrone Siu

 

THAM LUANG CAVE, Thailand (Reuters) - Thai authorities on Sunday said they plan to evacuate an area around a cave in northern Thailand where a dozen boys and their soccer coach have been trapped so that a "rescue operation" can take place.

 

The announcement came as dark monsoon rainclouds loomed over the mountainous north of the country early on Sunday, potentially heightening risks at the cave where rescuers were still waging a "war with water and time" to save the 12 trapped boys and their assistant coach.

 

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

 

"Assessing the situation now, it is necessary to evacuate the area for the rescue operation," said Mae Sai police commander Komsan Sa-ardluan over a loudspeaker. "Those unrelated to the rescue operation, please evacuate the area immediately."

 

A large media contingent began packing up equipment including tripods and cameras, and moving down a muddy hill away from the mouth of the limestone cave.

 

Following a relatively dry spell, fresh torrential downpours could pose a setback to rescuers who have struggled to drain the Tham Luang cave complex in the northern province of Chiang Rai.

 

Weather.com forecast sustained thunderstorms lasting through Sunday and Monday, with further stormy weather expected for around the next two weeks.

 

Narongsak Osottanakorn, a former provincial governor leading the effort said the "ideal time" for a rescue could come in the next two or three days.

 

"We're still at war with water and time," he told reporters.

 

Gong Hui, a Chinese diver involved in the operation that has drawn some 130 Thai and international divers, told Reuters on Saturday before the fresh rains that water levels in the cave had "receded a lot" after sustained pumping had removed millions of litres of water.

 

Time is running out on a plan to teach the boys - some as young as 11 and not strong swimmers - to make a dive through dark, narrow passageways sometimes no more than two-feet (0.6- metre) wide, that have challenged some of the world's leading cave divers.

 

A former member of Thailand's elite navy SEAL unit died during a dive on Thursday night, a grim turn in what began two weeks ago as an outing to celebrate the birthday of one of the boys.

 

Up on the hill, where rescuers are seeking alternative routes down into the cave, another accident occurred when a vehicle skidded off a dirt track, seriously injuring several people, authorities said.

 

Earlier at the sprawling cave mouth, lines of frogmen and soldiers with flashlights could be seen emerging from the darkness, as generators chugged and pumped water out through plastic pipes.

 

Dozens of Royal Thai Army soldiers were seen resting on rocks outside the cave.

 

Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk tweeted that a team from his rocket company SpaceX in Los Angeles is building a mini-sub to help with the rescue.

 

"Got more great feedback from Thailand. Primary path is basically a tiny, kid-size submarine ... Light enough to be carried by 2 divers, small enough to get through narrow gaps. Extremely robust," Musk tweeted, adding that it would take eight hours to construct and 17 hours to transport to Thailand.

 

The Thai defence ministry said a team from a Musk firm with drilling and exploration know-how should reach the cave on Sunday.

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-07-08

2 hours ago, Get Real said:

I understand your concern and definately want this to happen, everybody safe and the rescue mission to go as quick as possible. However, believing that it would only take around one night sleep to rescue all 13 seems a little bit far fetched to me.

+ 1 

So it has started to rain & divers are reporting masses of water creating Sunamies, stronger currents, ect.

So they left it to late 

Like mentioned they wont be out in the morning DUE TO

* They may of just made the descision 

* It will take divers 6 hrs + to get to the cave (they only have 3 in there looking after them )

* You could probably guarantee they will be under water longer now due to delay

* Due to stronger currents they will need 26 Divers to make the inward leg because I can't see going in & out doable & shall take many days 

 

All the best to them

7 hours ago, jenny2017 said:

I'm certain that doctors will take that into consideration. A dosage of max. 5- 7 mg of Diazepam ( Valium) could not do a damage to kids their age. ( That's from my niece, who's a doctor). It wouldn't let them panic and they'd feel relaxed. 

Valium makes you high. Makes you feel almost euphoric Its not the drug for kids. Xanex gives same results for panic with out the high 

Reporters Ejected From Cave Rescue Site

By Jintamas Saksornchai and Todd Ruiz

 

Police tell reporters to leave the cave site.

 

CHIANG RAI — Officials Sunday asked reporters to leave the area where they have been congregated in front of the cave as signs of frantic activity continued.

 

Since Saturday, there have been many indications that the operation is imminent or already begun to extract 12 young footballers and their coach from the flooded Luang Khun Nam Nang Non cave in Chiang Rai province. It was announced just before 7am today, that all media would have to move away from the area in front of the cave where security has been stepped up since yesterday.

 

Full story: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/crimecourtscalamity/2018/07/08/reporters-ejected-from-cave-rescue-site/

 

 

-- © Copyright Khaosod English 2018-07-08

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If so, I pray they all come out of this unharmed. 

Good luck everyone. God speed.

A horrible situation anyway you cut it and I really do hope they get those kids out safely. They left drilling an escape shaft too late.

 

Can help thinking that Musk is on another global PR exercise with some far fetched fantasy solution - submarine, kevlar tubes ..... he should have offered support 7 days ago to drill a shaft.

Just now, IamNoone88 said:

A horrible situation anyway you cut it and I really do hope they get those kids out safely. They left drilling an escape shaft too late.

 

Can help thinking that Musk is on another global PR exercise with some far fetched fantasy solution - submarine, kevlar tubes ..... he should have offered support 7 days ago to drill a shaft.

I am sure the drilling option has been explored from day 1, even as a layman it would of been on most peoples minds straight away.  THe topography alone makes that incredibly complex even before considering all the techinicql complicatoons.Amazingly complex with the worlds leading experts advising. Musk plan is a non starter they simply dont have the time to start experimenting when it is liable to start flooding again.

9 minutes ago, IamNoone88 said:

Can help thinking that Musk is on another global PR exercise with some far fetched fantasy solution - submarine, kevlar tubes ..... he should have offered support 7 days ago to drill a shaft.

It's too easy to say "should have done this" or "should have done that".  No-one knew how this would evolve, what they would find etc.  It has taken time for things to be understood and it is not until you understand certain things that you can respond to them accordingly.  If someone like Musk with his teams of scientists and leading edge technology is willing to lend a hand, great.  I don't think it's fair to blame people like him or others who didn't offer to help in the first few days when the situation was not well understood at all.

Rescue operation appears imminent as media ordered out of cave areas

 

 

In what is seen as an indication that the operation to extract the 13 survivors trapped in Tham Luang cave in Chiang Rai is imminent, authorities ordered all the hundreds of journalists and cameramen out of the rescue command centre in front of the cavern as more rescue teams, medical personnel and ambulances arrived this morning.

 

The order was issued by the police who said the evacuation is necessary to facilitate the rescue mission but gave no details. They said the order was issued under the law on public disaster mitigation.

 

Thai PBS news teams at Tham Luang cave reported that 13 ambulances have been put on standby while an additional 50 Navy SEAL team members were brought in.

 

Full story: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/rescue-operation-appears-imminent-media-ordered-cave-areas/

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2018-07-08

I sincerely hope that this goes well and everybody exits alive .

Interesting graphics in yesterdays South China Morning Post.

https://multimedia.scmp.com/news/world/article/2154127/thai-cave/index.html

10 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

Rescue operation appears imminent as media ordered out of cave areas

 

 

In what is seen as an indication that the operation to extract the 13 survivors trapped in Tham Luang cave in Chiang Rai is imminent, authorities ordered all the hundreds of journalists and cameramen out of the rescue command centre in front of the cavern as more rescue teams, medical personnel and ambulances arrived this morning.

 

The order was issued by the police who said the evacuation is necessary to facilitate the rescue mission but gave no details. They said the order was issued under the law on public disaster mitigation.

 

Thai PBS news teams at Tham Luang cave reported that 13 ambulances have been put on standby while an additional 50 Navy SEAL team members were brought in.

 

Full story: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/rescue-operation-appears-imminent-media-ordered-cave-areas/

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2018-07-08

This has got carnage written all over it. Who is giving the orders is anyone's guess. But if a seasoned seal veteran diver died only 2 days ago on fhe way out, how can young kids who haven't seen the light of day in weeks be expected to fare much better?

I hope this bold (dare i say reckless) move doesn't backfire

Just now, z42 said:

This has got carnage written all over it. Who is giving the orders is anyone's guess. But if a seasoned seal veteran diver died only 2 days ago on fhe way out, how can young kids who haven't seen the light of day i  weeks be expected to fare much better?

I hope this bold (dare i say reckless) move doesn't backfire

They seem to havr decided they dont have a choice. Either leave them there to die or try to evacuate them. They have the leading world specialists there advising so we need to trust the decision making.

1 hour ago, BEVUP said:

+ 1 

So it has started to rain & divers are reporting masses of water creating Sunamies, stronger currents, ect.

So they left it to late 

Like mentioned they wont be out in the morning DUE TO

* They may of just made the descision 

* It will take divers 6 hrs + to get to the cave (they only have 3 in there looking after them )

* You could probably guarantee they will be under water longer now due to delay

* Due to stronger currents they will need 26 Divers to make the inward leg because I can't see going in & out doable & shall take many days 

 

All the best to them

Another anti Thai doomsday monger. Your expertise seems to know no bounds.

36 minutes ago, IamNoone88 said:

A horrible situation anyway you cut it and I really do hope they get those kids out safely. They left drilling an escape shaft too late.

 

Can help thinking that Musk is on another global PR exercise with some far fetched fantasy solution - submarine, kevlar tubes ..... he should have offered support 7 days ago to drill a shaft.

In what way did they leave drilling an escape shaft too late? Do you know the logistics, geology and mechanics involved? Did you follow the Chilean miners' saga: do you know what happened when they drilled channels? It is NOT simple and it is NOT a quick fix.

7 minutes ago, todlad said:

Another anti Thai doomsday monger. Your expertise seems to know no bounds.

Not anti Thai & doesn't need a genius to do some basic maths from the information provided over the duration of the mission

8 minutes ago, todlad said:

In what way did they leave drilling an escape shaft too late? Do you know the logistics, geology and mechanics involved? Did you follow the Chilean miners' saga: do you know what happened when they drilled channels? It is NOT simple and it is NOT a quick fix.

Not taking away the complexity of that event but this is a different scenario ( they knew exactly where the Chileans were from the top to their position )

1 minute ago, Get Real said:

52 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

Since Saturday, there have been many indications that the operation is imminent or already begun to extract 12 young footballers and their coach from the flooded Luang Khun Nam Nang Non cave in Chiang Rai province. It was announced just before 7am today, that all media would have to move away from the area in front of the cave where security has been stepped up since yesterday.

The only real reason for that can be that it must give them a possibility to deny if something goes terribly wrong. They have been conducting this kind of behaviour for decades in this country. The first ones to be blamed for any mishaps is going to be the foreign volounteers.

 

Or it could be a recognition that there are 13 souls to be rescued and they can't all come through at once. 

 

They obviously don't want a circus to break out when the first one makes it to safety, creating a logjam and problems for the others who will follow.  Not to mention the after-care that each one will need to make sure they're okay- and to whisk them off to hospital.  That will mean ambulances coming and going.  A virtual impossibility if there are hundreds or thousands of spectators (and their triple parked vehicles) clogging the roads.  We all know how much respect ambulances get in Thailand...