AT WAR WITH WATER
DESPERATE RACE TO RESCUE KIDS
members of the Wild Boars team aged 11 to 16 who were cut off by flash flooding, were delivered to their families telling them not to worry.
They are trapped up to half a mile underground, 2.5 miles from the entrance to the six-mile Tham Luang Nang Non cave, known as “Great Cave of the Sleeping Lady” in Chaing Rai, northern Thailand.
The route back to safety lies along a twisting warren of narrow passageways, some full of water.
The rescuers include Thai Navy divers, soldiers, civilian volunteers and international helpers including four British cave diving experts.
Mr Osottanakorn said the boys are strong enough to walk but many cannot swim so are being taught how to use scuba gear to negotiate the dangerous route out.
A “buddy” system could used in which an experienced diver would be paired with each novice from the group to lead them to safety.
But with more rain starting to fall last night and time running out, alternative Boys pictured waiting inside the cave
STRATEGIES
strategies are also under consideration. More than 100 holes have been dug in the hope of reaching the cave by a more direct way.
Billionaire Elon Musk has sent experts from his company The Boring Company, which digs tunnels for transport systems and has advanced ground-penetrating radar, to assist.
And Tesla boss Musk, 47, also drafted in engineers from Spacex to advise on other options. He tweeted he had received “good feedback” on a proposal to build an escape pod.
A plan to build an underwater air tunnel created via a tube through the cave network is also being considered.
Danish diving instructor Ivan Katadzic, who has been delivering air tanks, said he was “double positive” about the mission’s outcome after water was pumped out and trenches dug outside to divert rain.
Last week former Thai Navy SEAL diver Saman Gunan was hailed a hero after he lost consciousness and died helping in the operation.
But British cave diver Rick Stanton, 56, vowed to do “everything humanly possible” to help free the group in a