Cave Rescue Sparks Celebration of ‘Mission Impossible’
Operation leads to worldwide praise as last four boys and football coach are brought out.
The last four boys and a football coach trapped inside a northern Thailand cave for more than 17 days have successfully been retrieved, sparking celebrations across Thailand and praise for the daring rescues from around the world.
“Today Thai people, team Thailand, achieved mission impossible,” said Narongsak Osatanakorn, the head of the joint command centre co-ordinating the operation to applause and cheers on Tuesday evening.
Before 4pm on Tuesday, the first of the remaining four boys in the cave emerged and was rushed to hospital in the nearest city of Chiang Rai. Confirmation of two more followed soon after.
About two hours later the Thai navy Seals, who have led the operation, announced the entire Wild Boars football team and their coach had been freed: “The 12 Wild Boars and coach have emerged from
the cave and they are safe,” they posted on their official Facebook page. They added their war cry: “Hooyah.”
Three Seals and a doctor who had spent several days inside the chamber with the boys were still making their way out, the post said. Namhom Boonpiam, whose son Mongkol was among the boys released earlier in the week, told the Guardian she was “happy but sleepy”.
Mr Osatanakorn said that the parents of the boys, who have held a vigil at the cave site throughout the marathon search and rescue operation, would soon be able to see their children in hospital – albeit through a window until doctors could check the children for infections.
“We are overjoyed,” he told a press briefing later on Tuesday night that was regularly interrupted by applause. At one point he paused to receive a signal.
“Oh excuse me, he said. “Doctor Pak [Loharnshoon] and three seals are now coming out of the cave safe and sound.”
The cheering reprised. Like the eight rescued in the past two days, the boys and the coach freed on Tuesday will undergo detailed testing of their eyes, nutrition levels and mental health, with blood samples to be sent to Bangkok to test for any infectious diseases.
They will only see their relatives through a glass screen initially or from a two-metre distance with the parents wearing a medical gown, face mask and hair net.
Health officials said that some of the first boys freed had elevated white-blood cell levels, indicating infections, and two showed signs of pneumonia but were responding well to treatment. “Doctors have treated the boys and now all of them are OK and cheerful. They talk normally. No fever,” said Jesada Chokedamrongsuk, a physician from the Thai ministry of public health. They are expected to be in hospital for at least seven days.
“Everyone is in high spirits and is happy to get out. But we will have a psychiatrist to evaluate them.” Tuesday’s mission was the most arduous for the 100 people involved because it required shepherding out the weakest and smallest of the boys.
But the atmosphere in Mae Sai was palpably optimistic after two successful operations in previous days and news the rescued boys were healthy and “cheerful”.
By the time the eleventh boy was out, Thai volunteers were cheering and waving as the helicopters that were ferrying the boys to hospital thundered overhead. Confirmation they were free triggered celebrations in Mae Sai and Doctors said the first eight boys to be released would spend at least one week in hospital recuperating.