Divers reach trapped kids
AN overjoyed woman holds up a picture of youngsters trapped for nine days deep inside a flooded mountain cave... alive and smiling.
The snap, which brought tears of relief to waiting families, was taken by a rescue diver yesterday who reached the 12 footballers aged 11 to 16 and their coach, 25.
They had been marooned by rising floodwater after venturing in to explore the vast Tham Luang caves in the north of Thailand ten days ago.
Expert cave divers acted as pathfinders for the rescue mission which had millions on the edge of their seats.
Narongsak Osottanakorn, governor of Chiang Mai province, broke the news to the world, saying: “Thai Navy Seals have found all 13 with signs of life. We found them safe. But the operation isn’t over.”
Cave divers John Volanthen, Robert Harper and Richard Stanton helped lead the dangerous operation to locate the boys, who were thought to be sheltering deep inside the six-and-a-half mile cave network.
They were yesterday laying and maintaining groundlines in the labyrinth of flooded tunnels.
“The Thai Navy Seal divers and Australian divers followed on setting up
Video of trapped boys taken by Thai Navy Seals supply bottles and air bottles for followup operations,” said Bill Whitehouse, of the British Cave Rescue Council.
The divers had been trying to reach an elevated mound inside the caves called Pattaya Beach, hoping to find the group.
But when they arrived it was submerged. The rescuers went a further 400 metres to a spot where the 13 were sheltering. Now the rescue party will have to find ways of getting the boys out.
Options include waiting until water levels subside or teaching them to use diving gear to navigate the flooded cave. Medical teams have been sent in to assess their condition.
Emotional relatives were cheering, smiling and receiving after hearing the news.
Rescuers celebrated the success, after the days-long rescue was repeatedly hampered by dangerous conditions.
They arrived at Chiang Mai province late on Wednesday.
Mr Whitehouse added: “They are incredibly experienced cave divers who have been oversees on a number of occasions to help with rescue operations. They are the best men for the job.”
They were joined in the international effort by Australian divers and personnel from the US Pacific Command. seen calls