BREAKING NEWS Rescuers begin evacuation of 'Tham Luang 13'

[Jonathan Fairfield]

Rescuers begin evacuation of 'Tham Luang 13'

 

 

Rescuers have begun the mission to extract 12 boys and their football coach who are trapped in the Tham Luang cave.

 

A team of 18 divers went into the cave at 10am.

 

Sky News, the Guardian and BBC all report rescue mission has officially started.

 

More to follow

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2018-07-08

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Jonathan Fairfield]

Update : ‘It’s D-Day’: Cave rescue mission has begun

 

 

Divers have entered Tham Luang Cave to begin the hours-long operation of extracting at least some of the 12 young footballers and their coach trapped inside for more than two weeks, the mission chief said on Sunday.

 

Narongsak Osottanakorn said the assignments were issued at 10am and the rescue was to begin as soon as possible, with the first of the youths expected to emerge around 9pm.

 

“Today is D-Day,” he said. “The boys are ready to face any challenges.” 

 

Much of the route to the location where the boys and their coach were found last Monday has dried significantly, Narongsak said, though more rain is forecast.

 

When the search began, most of the accessways inside the cave were underwater.

 

It was unclear how many of the group will be extracted on Sunday. Earlier reports indicated that only those who were “100 per cent strong” would be brought out and reports today put the number at just four boys.

 

Narongsak said the boys and their coach would dive out one at a time, each accompanied by two members of a team of Thai and foreign divers.

 

News media and everyone else not directly involved in the operation were ordered to leave the area near the cave entrance to clear access for the evacuation operation.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30349580

 

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-07-08

 

 

[Jonathan Fairfield]

Rescue operation to extract cave survivors has begun

 

 

Divers have begun an operation to try to extract the 13 survivors out of Tham Luang cave, chief of the rescue mission Narongsak Osotthanakorn announced at 10.30 am this morning.

 

“Today is D-Day,” he said, adding that 13 international cave divers and 5 Navy SEAL members have gone into the cave to bring out the survivors.  

 

He said the rescue operation began at 10.00 am and the survivors will be brought out in what is known as a “buddy dive” in which each of the survivors will be escorted by two rescue divers.  

 

He told a news briefing that the first survivor should be brought out by 9 pm tonight. 

 

Full story: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/rescue-operation-extract-cave-survivors-begun/

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2018-07-08

 

 

 

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'Today is D-Day' - Rescuers begin mission to extract Thai cave boys

By Panu Wongcha-um and John Geddie

 

 

THAM LUANG CAVE, Thailand (Reuters) - A dangerous rescue mission to free 12 schoolboys and their soccer coach trapped inside a Thai cave for two weeks began on Sunday, authorities said, with the first survivor to possibly emerge 11 hours later.

 

Thirteen foreign divers and five members of Thailand's elite navy SEAL unit would attempt to bring the boys – some of whom are as young as 11 and not strong swimmers – through narrow, submerged passageways that claimed the life of a former Thai navy diver earlier this week.

 

"Today is D-Day," Narongsak Osottanakorn, head of the rescue mission, told reporters. "At 10 am today (0300 GMT) 13 foreign divers went in to extract the children along with 5 Thai navy SEALs".

 

He said the first boys could emerge from the cave at around 9 pm local time (1400 GMT).

 

The rescue mission began after rainshowers soaked the Tham Luang Cave area in northern Chiang Rai province for the past 24 hours, heightening the risks in what the governor has called a "war with water and time" to save the team.

 

The boys, aged between 11 and 16, went missing with their 25-year-old coach after soccer practice on June 23, setting out to explore the cave complex near the border with Myanmar.

 

A mammoth response operation – including a medical unit, ambulance and helicopter for every boy – is waiting outside the cave for the team to emerge.

 

Narongsak said the boys could start to emerge as early as 9 pm on Sunday, but that there was "no time limit" and the rescue operation could take a number of days or be halted at any time.

 

 

An Australian doctor, who is part of Sunday's rescue mission, checked the health of the boys last night and gave the all clear for the rescue to proceed, Narongsak said.

 

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

 

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.

 

 

To escape, the children must 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 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.

 

(Additional reporting by Patpicha Tanakasempipat and James Pomfret; writing by James Pomfret and John Geddie; editing by Amy Sawitta Lefevre and Darren Schuettler)

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-07-08

 

 

[coulson]

Best of luck boys.

[djjamie]

Good luck and god speed. Lets hope for some good news in the next 10 hours with an ETA for the first to come out at 9pm.

 

Best ending to this will be the 13 going to Moscow for the world cup final. 

Edited July 8, 2018 by djjamie
Update

[Crossy]

I really hope all goes well, this is a very risky operation with the whole world watching.

 

Good luck to all participating.

[vogie]

Fingers crossed and good luck.

[Aforek]

Good luck, boys 

[Sheryl]

tweet from @ThaiArmedForces.com says expect first child out in about 3 hours

 

However other sources are saying more like 9 PM so nto sure, maybe a translation issue...

 

My heart is in my throat....

[BangkokSausage]

This just got real. Good luck!

[sammieuk1]

Hopeful they will be in Russia to see Harry Kane lift the trophy go get em good luck. 

Edited July 8, 2018 by sammieuk1

[Jip99]

Everything crossed for a successful outcome.

[Dmaxdan]

I'm sure the boys are in excellent hands,  Positive thoughts everybody. Come on lads, you can do it!!!!  Chok Dee Krap to all involved. 

[darksidedog]

It is going to be a very nerve wracking time for everyone, especially the young boys. Good luck, I hope it goes well and that the only tears we see today are of relief and joy.

[Sheryl]

Rebecca Wright‏ @bexwright1 5m5 minutes ago

13 international & 5 Thai divers have entered the cave. Boys will be taken out one by one so the operation could take days - Chiang Rai Governor @CNN #13survived #thamluang #thamluangcave #13ชีวิตรอดเเล้ว #ทีมหมูป่า #ทีมหมูป่าอะคาเดมี่ #พาหมูป่ากลับบ้าน #ThaiNavySEAL

 

7 News Brisbane‏Verified account @7NewsBrisbane 5m5 minutes ago

Thailand Cave: Local authorities say they began a rescue operation 45 minutes ago. 13 'foreign divers' working on the operation to initially bring out four boys before midnight (AEST). #ThamLuang #7News

[pegman]

Let's Go!

[Oziex1]

Please don't crash the ambulances

[berybert]

I along with the rest of the world have everything crossed. 

[Nurseynutcase]

Good luck to everyone.

 

I sincerely hope that all involved come out alive and well.

[jerry921]

If the kids dive with 2 divers each, they're going to need 26 divers, not 18...

[Sheryl]

Divers have begun an operation to try to extract the 13 survivors out of Tham Luang cave, chief of the rescue mission Narongsak Osotthanakorn announced at 10.30 am this morning.

 

“Today is D-Day,” he said, adding that 13 international cave divers and 5 Navy SEAL members have gone into the cave to bring out the survivors.  

 

He said the rescue operation began at 10.00 am and the survivors will be brought out in what is known as a “buddy dive” in which each of the survivors will be escorted by two rescue divers.   He told a news briefing that the first survivor should be brought out by 9 pm tonight. 

 

Narongsak said both the survivors and their families have already been informed of the rescue operation.  “The boys are both physically and mentally fit and they all agree with the rescue mission. They all said they are prepared to encounter whatever lies ahead,” he said.

 

He said the current weather and conditions in the cave are “most conducive” for the rescue operation.  “The monsoon rains are looming and the window of opportunity to save them is closing,” he said.

 

http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/rescue-operation-extract-cave-survivors-begun/

[Golden Triangle]

It's gonna be a very long couple of days by the sound of it, good luck to everyone involved, bring those boys home ???

[janclaes47]

7 minutes ago, sammieuk1 said:

Hopeful they will be in Russia

That would be a wonderful reward.

 

8 minutes ago, sammieuk1 said:

to see Harry Kane lift the trophy go get em good luck

Has he run over to Belgium?

[Eligius]

May God, Destiny, Fate, the gods, human endeavour - whatever one believes in - protect them all and bring them back into the arms and safety of their loved-ones.

[Sheryl]

@richardgaisford 24m24 minutes ago 5 Thai Navy Seals are joined by 13 international divers for the rescue mission. It’s not clear how many boys will be among the first to be rescued.

 @richardgaisford 22m22 minutes ago It’s thought at least 6 British divers are in the area and have been helping with the operation, including the two cave specialists who discovered the group of 12 missing footballers and their coach.

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  @richardgaisford 20 minutes ago 

  All three main chambers in the #ThamLuang cave system are now “walkable” - a major factor in the decision to go now before forecast rain fills them again. This follows significant pumping. There will still be flooded “tunnels” to navigate though.

   

  @richardgaisford 4m  Am told a second wave of 26 divers will also enter the #ThamLuang caves. These will effectively act as “dive buddies” for the 12 boys and their coach. It’s thought that conditions are now perfect for the #CaveRescue mission, with the least arduous journey out possible predicted. 

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

[Peterw42]

4 minutes ago, jerry921 said:

If the kids dive with 2 divers each, they're going to need 26 divers, not 18...

Probably 8 already in there

[Sheryl]

5 minutes ago, Golden Triangle said:

It's gonna be a very long couple of days by the sound of it, good luck to everyone involved, bring those boys home ???

And the rescuers out safely, too.

 

These brave men are taking considerable risk.

[chuang]

Hope they can all attend the world cup final in moscow.....Chok Dee..

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

1 minute ago, jerry921 said:

If the kids dive with 2 divers each, they're going to need 26 divers, not 18...

 

Ya, the math doesn't seem to work out, nor does the notion of two divers for every kid/coach.

 

Just based on the numbers, it would seem more like one foreign diver for each kid/coach, and then perhaps support along the way from the 5 Thai SEALs.

 

It's certainly interesting that at the end of the day, the vast majority of the actual rescue diving is being undertaken by foreigners as opposed to Thailand's own military/rescue personnel.

 

Particularly given that the military has been in control of the country and the government for the past 4 years and pretty much gotten everything and anything they wanted.

 

[pegman]

Best of the best involved in this operation. The divers have spent many days in the cave system so they should know it very well by now. No reason to think this won't go well. Best of luck to them all.