UPDATE: Four boys have left the cave so far: Chiang Rai governor

[Jonathan Fairfield]

Four boys have left the cave so far: Chiang Rai governor

 

 

Chiang Rai Governor Narongsak Osottanakorn has said that four boys have been extracted from the cave so far and that the rescue mission has now be halted and may not resume until tomorrow.

 

Speaking at a press briefing shortly before 9pm on Sunday, Governor Narongsak said the first boy left the cave at 5.40pm, with the second coming out "10 or 20 minutes later".

 

Two more boys left the cave at 7pm, he said.

 

All the boys have been taken to Chiang Rai Prachanukraw Hospital.

 

Earlier Reuters reported that six boys had left the cave but this now seems not to be the case, with officials  revising down the number of boys currently rescued to four instead of six.

 

At the press briefing, Governor Narongsak said that it may be another 10 hours before the other boys start to leave the cave as they need to re-supply oxygen to the divers.

 

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

 

An Australian doctor who is part of the rescue mission checked the health of the boys on Saturday night and gave the all-clear for the operation to proceed.

 

Meanwhile, The Nation named the first boy to leave the cave as Mongkhon Bunpiem, 14, nicknamed Mark.

 

It is not known when the rescue mission will resume.

 

We'll update this post with more info when we receive it.

 

 

 

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

 

 

[doremifasol]

?

Great news!!! Nine more to go.

Keep my fingers crossed.

 

 

[darksidedog]

This news is making a lot of people around the world very happy. Four down, nine to go. Congratulations to the team involved and I hope they  manage to get the rest out safely and soon.

[NCC1701A]

On tweetdeck #ThaiCaveRescue is running so fast you can't read the tweets.

 

08:00 tomorrow we start again.

Edited July 8, 2018 by NCC1701A

[ThreeEyedRaven]

Reportedly, they took the weakest of the group first, so one hopes the stronger ones in the group will have no problem successfully following their friends. All good so far, great work by real heroes.

[sammieuk1]

Top Mark(s).

[Letseng]

From Austria: Best wishes to boys and divers. I hope the remaining 9 will make it out safely tomorrow. 

[NanLaew]

At this rate, they'll all be out in time for the World Cup Final.

 

What a coup if Putin invites the boys, the coach, their families and all the rescue diver teams to Moscow for the final. Visa waivers for all!

[janclaes47]

5 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

At this rate, they'll all be out in time for the World Cup Final.

 

What a coup if Putin invites the boys, the coach, their families and all the rescue diver teams to Moscow for the final. Visa waivers for all!

 

Hopefully, and most probably they will all be out before the world cup final, and Fifa already has invited them, but they according to previous reports they will be in hospital for another 2 - 3 weeks.

 

I think it was mentioned that even the parents would not be allowed to visit them for the first 3 days or so, while they are in the controlled environment room.

[neeray]

I personally think "Lucky 13" will be sufficiently happy just to be home with their families and friends and if they choose, watch the game on TV.

Besides, Putin is more concerned about how he can best manipulate trump to his advantage at the upcoming summit. He won't be fussing about happiness for a bunch of kids.

[NanLaew]

3 minutes ago, janclaes47 said:

 

Hopefully, and most probably they will all be out before the world cup final, and Fifa already has invited them, but they according to previous reports they will be in hospital for another 2 - 3 weeks.

 

I think it was mentioned that even the parents would not be allowed to visit them for the first 3 days or so, while they are in the controlled environment room.

Thanks for the note that FIFA have already offered. That will depoliticize things nicely.

 

I trust in the resilience of teenagers and them beating the 'worst case' PTSD predictors by a mile.

[sirineou]

6 minutes ago, janclaes47 said:

I think it was mentioned that even the parents would not be allowed to visit them for the first 3 days or so,

I can not believe that they will keep the parents away for three days. Personally I think the last thing in their minds right now is another adventure in Russia.

[BangkokSausage]

1 minute ago, janclaes47 said:

 

Hopefully, and most probably they will all be out before the world cup final, and Fifa already has invited them, but they according to previous reports they will be in hospital for another 2 - 3 weeks.

 

I think it was mentioned that even the parents would not be allowed to visit them for the first 3 days or so, while they are in the controlled environment room.

The gov said today the boys are in "perfect health" and they were supposed to be the weak ones..or were they the strong ones? The press both domestic and international cant keep a straight story.

 

Unless there  are serious infections or internal external injuries they will be at home long before the final however Im sure their recovery would be much enhanced not having to eat sticky rice and pork in business class Aeroflot ?

[Xaos]

They invited to WC

[webfact]

Boys emerge from cave

By THE NATION 
MAE SAI, CHIANG RAI

 

Thai medics and police officers evacuate children after rescued from Tham Luang cave before heading to hospital, at a helicopter pad in Chiang Rai province yesterday. // EPA-EFE PHOTO

 

Rescue mission tastes big success after circumstances were seen as most suitable to evacuate the boys all 13 stranded footballers likely to be brought out within next two days; 18 divers taking part in evacuation.

 

Four of the 13 young footballers trapped in the flooded Tham Luang cave in Chiang Rai province were being evacuated yesterday, marking a major success in the complex rescue mission, said mission chief Governor Narongsak Osotthanakorn said at about 8.30pm.

 

An ambulance leave the Tham Luang cave area as divers evacuated some of the 12 boys and their coach trapped at the cave in Khun Nam Nang Non Forest Park in the Mae Sai district of Chiang Rai province on July 8, 2018. // AFP PHOTO

 

The rescue operation for the remaining eight boys and their 25-year-old assistant coach will be conducted as soon as rescuers finish preparation and deploying relevant equipment including oxygen tanks in the cave, Narongsak said.

 

The process will spend about ten hours, he added.

 

At press time yesterday, the four boys were already receiving treatment at Chiangrai Hospital. 

 

Earlier, the Royal Thai Air Force’s Facebook fanpage “Air Force Media by Kawin AFU” was among the first to disclose the good news of the evacuation operation. The page informed that two boys, who were not identified, had been successfully brought out of the cave at around 6.10 pm, while another survivor had already reached the Navy SEALs’ operation base in the third chamber of the cave.

 

An ambulance arrives at hospital after some of the youth soccer team and their assistant coach have been rescued from the cave in Khun Nam Nang Non Forest Park in the Mae Sai district of Chiang Rai province, Thailand, 08 July 2018. Reports state that rescue operations are underway to safely bring out the 13 members of youth soccer team including their assistant coach who have been trapped in Tham Luang cave since 23 June 2018. // EPA-EFE PHOTO

 

A military source said earlier that the first two boys who were brought out had already been transferred to the field hospital just outside the cave entrance for a medical check-up.

 

The source said the operation would be concluded in two days.

 

 

Former Chiang Rai governor Narongsak Osotanakorn, who heads the rescue mission, told a press conference yesterday at 10am that operations had begun to evacuate all the trapped footballers out of the flooded cave, as all factors were suitable for the mission and all the stakeholders, including families of the survivors, had agreed to give the go-ahead.

 

Under the current operation plan, each trapped footballer is being escorted by two diving specialists through the entire length of the cave to the entrance. Along the way, they have to climb, squeeze themselves through narrow passages as well as dive through the heavily submerged sections of the cave.

 

The first survivors were able to finally leave the dark confines of the cave 16 days after they were all stranded. The 13 were caught in flash floods during a visit to the cave on June 23, but they managed to find a dry shelf where they remained without food for 10 days until they were located by specialist divers.

 

“We have finally reached the highest level of preparedness to bring all trapped survivors out of the cave, so we have to seize this perfect opportunity when we have the most readiness to execute this daring mission,” Narongsak said.

 

“This perfect situation will not last long, as within the next few days there will be storms and heavy rains in the area that can significantly increase flood levels inside the cave and endanger the trapped survivors and all the officers inside.”

 

Photo from: Thai NavySEAL's Facebook fanpage

 

Disclosing details of the evacuation plan, he revealed that a total of 18 diving specialists would participate in this mission – 13 are international specialists, while the other five are from Thailand.

 

They all have the necessary expertise and skills to perform evacuation operations in difficult situations and hostile environments such as inside the flooded cave, he assured.

 

The decision to go ahead with the operation comes before the arrival today of evacuation pods built by the engineers of SpaceX as assistance from the company’s founder Elon Musk to aid in the evacuation operation.

 

“The major obstacles to our operation are water and time. We have raced against these two challenges since the first day and we still have to race against them on this mission too, so we cannot miss this chance to save these boys” Narongsak said. 

 

He said once the survivors are brought out of the cave, they would be taken into the field hospital for medical examination by 13 medical teams, one for each survivor, in order to determine how to treat them based on three categories: green for healthy, yellow for minor injuries, and red for critical injuries.

 

KEY EVENTS ON RESCUE OPERATION D-DAY

 

7.28am Chiang Rai deputy governor invites all relatives of trapped footballers to the operation command office.

 

9am All reporters are told to leave the Tham Luang cave.

 

10am Chiang Rai former governor announces launch of rescue operation.

 

10am First survivor begins exit dive, with two escorts.

 

Noon Reporters are told to leave area around Chiang Rai Prachanukroh Hospital.

 

3pm Police close area around Chiangrai Prachanukroh Hospital to traffic.

 

5.10pm The first evacuated footballer to reach cave mouth. 

 

7.25pm Four footballers rescued at press time.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30349608

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-07-09

[webfact]

Thai cave - Four boys saved, the rest wait for rescue to resume Monday

By Panu Wongcha-um and Panarat Thepgumpanat

 

An ambulance carrying rescued schoolboys exits at a military airport in the northern province of Chiang Rai, Thailand, July 8, 2018. REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha

 

CHIANG RAI, Thailand (Reuters) - Four of 12 Thai schoolboys were rescued from a flooded cave on Sunday in a daring and dangerous operation to save the children and their soccer coach who have been trapped underground for more than two weeks.

 

The operation to rescue the remaining eight boys - some as young as 11 and weak swimmers - and the coach was called off at nightfall until Monday to give the divers time to replenish oxygen supplies and ensure all preparations were complete.

 

U.S. military personnel arrive the 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 8, 2018. REUTERS/Tyrone Siu

 

Thirteen foreign divers and five members of Thailand's elite navy SEAL unit guided the boys to safety through narrow, submerged passageways that claimed the life of a former Thai navy diver on Friday.

 

"Today was the best day, the best situation in terms of the weather, the health of the boys, our water management for our rescue effort," the head of the rescue operation, Narongsak Osottanakorn, told a news conference.

"Today we managed to rescue and send back four children to Chiang Rai Prachanukrua Hospital safely."

 

The rescuers needed at least 10 hours to prepare for their next operation, involving about 90 divers in total, 50 of them from foreign countries, he said.

 

A helicopter flew the four boys to the nearby city of Chiang Rai, where they were taken by ambulance to the hospital.

 

Their ordeal has drawn huge media attention in Thailand and abroad, and getting the boys out safely could be a boost for Thailand's junta ahead of a general election next year.

 

"Today is D-Day," Narongsak had earlier told reporters.

 

Bursts of heavy monsoon rain soaked the Tham Luang Cave area in northern Chiang Rai province on Sunday and storms were expected in coming weeks, increasing the risks in what has been 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 on an adventure to explore the cave complex near the border with Myanmar and celebrate a boy's birthday.

 

The rescue teams had rehearsed the plan for several days, Narongsak said, and had managed to drain the cave water level considerably, but needed to move fast.

 

Thailand cave rescue: Hope for the 13 - https://tmsnrt.rs/2KR2zRj

 

"CONDITIONS MUST BE STABLE"

"If we wait and the rain comes in the next few days we will be tired again from pumping and our readiness would drop. If that's the case, then we have to reassess the situation," he said.

 

"We can only carry on the operation once we are ready and this will be done soon, because the air tank and other systems have to be reinstalled," he told reporters later.

 

"...I can't give you an exact number but it should be more than 10 hours but not exceeding 20 hours. The conditions must be stable like today before we can continue the operation."

 

An Australian doctor checked the health of the boys on Saturday night and gave the all-clear for the operation to proceed.

 

The boys were discovered by British divers Richard Stanton and John Volanthen on Monday.

 

Of the 13-strong foreign dive team - mainly from Europe - three escorted the children, while the remainder were positioned along the dangerous first kilometre stretch, where the boys had to navigate through submerged passageways in some places no more than two feet (0.6 metre) wide.

 

The area outside the Chiang Rai hospital was cordoned off by police. Down the street, vendors were told by loud speaker to "keep off the road" and to "not obstruct the transfer mission".

 

Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, leader of the military junta that seized power in 2014, planned to visit the cave site on Monday, a government spokesman said.

 

His visit with relatives and rescue officials last week was criticised by some Thais as opportunistic as his government faced pro-democracy protests in the capital Bangkok in recent months.

 

(Reporting by Panu Wongcha-um and Panarat Thepgumpanat; Additional reporting by Patpicha Tanakasempipat, John Geddie and James Pomfret; Editing by Alex Richardson and Nick Macfie)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-07-09

[Get Real]

4 boys out! That is fantastic. Let´s hope they can start again as soon as possible. We want all out alive.

[Get Real]

15 minutes ago, webfact said:

getting the boys out safely could be a boost for Thailand's junta ahead of a general election next year

I wouldn´t go that far as most of the operations key figures are foreign help. Only to state political propaganda like this at this moment should be punishable by law and connected to a long jail time.

The only thing we should concentrate on is the rescuers and the boys and their coach safety at the moment.

[Thailand]

Awesome so far and the pause in the rescue will allow them to start fresh this morning and of course allow little P to get there for some great photo opportunities.

[webfact]

Next operation to bring the rest to safety to begin in 10-20 hours: ex-governor Narongsak

By Thai PBS

 

 

Former Chiang Rai governor Narongsak Osotthanakorn announced Sunday night that four survivors were safely extracted out of the flooded cave and are now in the hands of doctors at Chiang Rai Prachanukroh hospital.

 

As for the eight other survivors who are still stranded inside the cave, he said he could not say exactly when the next extraction operation would start, adding that it would be launched within the next 10-20 hours, depending on the conditions whether they are conducive for the launch of the operation.

 

The ex-governor also pointed out that all the oxygen tanks which were previously placed at intervals along the rescue route in the cave from the forward command at Chamber 3 to the mound where the rest of the survivors are now sheltering have been used up and replacement oxygen tanks will be placed again.

 

Full story: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/next-operation-bring-rest-safety-begin-10-20-hours-ex-governor-narongsak/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2018-07-09

[lamyai3]

6 hours ago, janclaes47 said:

 

Hopefully, and most probably they will all be out before the world cup final, and Fifa already has invited them, but they according to previous reports they will be in hospital for another 2 - 3 weeks.

 

I think it was mentioned that even the parents would not be allowed to visit them for the first 3 days or so, while they are in the controlled environment room.

I heard it was just 24 hours before family are allowed to see them. I really hope they are able to evacuate the other kids safely tomorrow, but the rescue teams have performed magnificently so far so I have a lot of confidence.

 

I do hope the recuperation process is fast and they can be released and escorted to the world cup final - this would be a dream come true for the boys and the coach both, and may even be medically prudent in aiding their recovery and reassimilation. I can't imagine how the kids must feel after such a traumatising experience, but I can say one thing for sure - if the love of my life was football, and I was feeling much better, but was prevented from attending a private invitation to the world cup final due to over-cautious doctors saying I needed to remain in hospital for observation, I'm not sure if I could forgive them.

Edited July 8, 2018 by lamyai3

[Get Real]

47 minutes ago, webfact said:

Former Chiang Rai governor Narongsak Osotthanakorn

It´s a pitty and a disgrace to the country when they have to take away good people doing a great work. Let´s hope this cave rescue becomes 100% successful, and they get the pressure from the people to take him back.

[webfact]

Four boys out of flooded cave, safe and well in hospital

 

 

CHIANG RAI, 9 July 2018 (NNT) - Rescuers on Sunday were able to pull 4 boys from a flooded cave complex in Chiang Rai province where they had been trapped for more than two weeks. 

Chairing a press conference at 9 pm last night, Chiang Rai governor Narongsak Osottanakorn told members of the press that 4 members of the 'Wild Boar' Academy team had been successfully extracted from Tham Luang Cave.

 

The first boy came out at 5.40 pm, followed by the second boy around 20 minutes later. Both of them were immediately airlifted to Chiangrai Prachanukroh Hospital. The third and forth boys were brought above ground, also in good health, at 7.40 and 7.50 pm. 

The governor added last night that the next rescue mission would be carried out within the next 20 hours after authorities reconvene to assess conditions in the cave and replace oxygen tanks. 

Made up of 18 rescuers, 13 foreigners and 5 Thai Navy Seals, Sunday’s operation was a race against time as an impending monsoon rainstorm was approaching, not to mention the fact that rescuers had to handle low-visibility conditions when diving in the murky floodwaters as well as rapidly dropping oxygen levels. 

Although last night’s rescue needed only 18 divers, the entire operation comprises 90 expert divers - 40 from Thailand and 50 from overseas - working in the cave system and making preparations for the extraction of the trapped boys and their coach.

 

-- nnt 2018-07-09

[jossthaifarang]

Fantastic news, I did almost throw a beer bottle through the TV last night when they changed from 6 back to 4. I sincerely thought when they started coming out they would not stop until mission complete, I really hope they can get back in there soon and get the rest..

 

Great team work by all involved!!

Edited July 9, 2018 by jossthaifarang

[InfinityandBeyond]

BP reporting the 4th person out was the coach. 

With so many conflicting reports throughout this incident, will wait for verification from other sources. 

[neeray]

4 minutes ago, InfinityandBeyond said:

BP reporting the 4th person out was the coach. 

With so many conflicting reports throughout this incident, will wait for verification from other sources. 

I would be very surprised if the coach was number 4 out. I would have thought like the captain of a ship, the chief pilot of a plane etc, he would have been last. But perhaps his health dictated that he should come out earlier. But heh, what do we know? We're just the cheering squad.

[InfinityandBeyond]

10 minutes ago, neeray said:

I would be very surprised if the coach was number 4 out. I would have thought like the captain of a ship, the chief pilot of a plane etc, he would have been last. But perhaps his health dictated that he should come out earlier. But heh, what do we know? We're just the cheering squad.

Yes. According to BP report, health concerns were the reason the coach was selected. 

In any case, looking forward to more good news today! 

[soalbundy]

It has been reported that the coach was the fourth one out as he was one of the weakest, he didn't eat any of the food brought with them, leaving the boys toeat it all instead.

[holy cow cm]

1 hour ago, jossthaifarang said:

Fantastic news, I did almost throw a beer bottle through the TV last night when they changed from 6 back to 4. I sincerely thought when they started coming out they would not stop until mission complete, I really hope they can get back in there soon and get the rest..

 

Great team work by all involved!!

Unfortunately bad planning by the shot callers not being on top of the air tanks. Hate to have them run a business I was a part of. At least no new dead. I thought it should have started latest by Saturday with the cleanest clear of weather windows and been 1 -13 one after the other till out. Thai time. Can't wait to hear the next round of good news. On another fact, the caves are pitch dark therefore no daytime is needed to start any operation as it doesn't matter except to the ones who sleep at night. 

[Oziex1]

9 hours ago, neeray said:

I personally think "Lucky 13" will be sufficiently happy just to be home with their families and friends and if they choose, watch the game on TV.

Besides, Putin is more concerned about how he can best manipulate trump to his advantage at the upcoming summit. He won't be fussing about happiness for a bunch of kids.

Yeah, let them relax at home with friends and family don't turn them into media darlings, the fame is a great hazard to the young kids.