People pulling together made ‘mission impossible’ possible, says command chief Narongsak

[snoop1130]

People pulling together made ‘mission impossible’ possible, says command chief Narongsak

By The Nation

 

 

About 10,000 people contributed to the successful weeks-long operations to rescue 12 boys and their assistant football coach from the flooded Tham Luang cave, rescue-command chief Narongsak Osottanakorn said on Tuesday night.

 

Help has poured in from across the world, making it possible to complete the so-called “Mission Impossible” that kicked off after 13 members of a local football team in Thailand’s Chiang Rai province went missing inside the cave on June 23 in the wake of flash floods. 

 

A 25-year-old assistant football coach of Mu Pa Academy Mae Sai brought 12 young footballers to the cave that day and the group became stranded inside after heavy downpours sent a ferocious tide of floodwaters into the cave. 

 

First responders to the incident found the cave “treacherous” with thin air, darkness, cold and rising floodwaters. Some sections of the cave were also completely submerged and narrow.

 

The Royal Thai Navy’s SEALs and many officials from various organisations and at one point thousand of volunteers turned up to help. Rescuers from foreign countries also came and played a pivotal role in the final outcome.

 

Thanks to well-integrated efforts, careful planning and unity, all stranded survivors were evacuated safely between Sunday and Tuesday, the former Chiang Rai governor said.

 

“I hope we will learn a lesson and develop a practical model for future operations,” Narongsak said. 

 

He also urged everyone to remember Petty Officer First Class Samarn Kunan, a former SEAL, who died inside the cave during his efforts to support the rescue operation as the “Tham Luang Hero”. 

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30349850

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-7-11

[Get Real]

A great man giving a good speech!

[webfact]

Dwindling oxygen and looming rains prompted rescue mission

By Thai PBS

 

 

The dwindling amount of oxygen in Tham Luang cave coupled with looming monsoon rains were two crucial factors that forced the rescue teams to decide to extract the 12 members of the Wild Boars soccer team and their coach earlier than planned, rescue operation chief Narongsak Osotthanakorn said last night.

 

Speaking at a final press briefing before the rescue operation was wrapped up,  the ex-Chiang Rai governor recalled that at one point during the rescue operation, oxygen level in the chamber where the 13 survivors were sheltering was reduced to only 15 per cent.  “If the oxygen level dropped further than that, there were fears they would all black out,” he said.

 

Equally critical was the weather, he said. Looming monsoon rains threatened to cause the cave to be flooded again, putting the entire rescue mission in jeopardy.

 

Full story: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/dwindling-oxygen-looming-rains-prompted-rescue-mission/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2018-07-12

[canuckamuck]

If they had left them till the rains ended there would have been only bodies to recover. 

They made a good choice, the only reasonable choice IMO.

[timendres]

I wish this guy was PM.

[pegman]

It's been one hell of a story to follow. Hard to believe the outcome was possible considering what the rescuers were up against. The 10,000 should be proud of what they accomplished as Thailand and the rest of the world are of them. So great to witness the cooperation of all these people from so many far flung places. Proud also to see my home country's flag in the tributes. Well done all around. 

Now back to the draft dodger making a mess of things.

 

[canuckamuck]

5 hours ago, pegman said:

It's been one hell of a story to follow. Hard to believe the outcome was possible considering what the rescuers were up against. The 10,000 should be proud of what they accomplished as Thailand and the rest of the world are of them. So great to witness the cooperation of all these people from so many far flung places. Proud also to see my home country's flag in the tributes. Well done all around. 

Now back to the draft dodger making a mess of things.

 

I had already decided to give that post a like, and then I read that final sentence and all that talk of unity and togetherness evaporated with an unnecessary and divisive comment about Trump (I assume it was Trump). Total fail.