‘WE HOPE THEY’RE ALIVE’
Search for 12 boys, coach trapped in flooded Thai cave enters third day
THAI authorities yesterday said they were making every effort to find a missing teenage football team trapped in a cave complex, as concern for their safety mounted on the third day of the search.
The 12 boys, age 11 to 16, and their 25-year-old coach, were trapped on Saturday after heavy rain flooded the cave complex in a forest park in the northern province of Chiang Rai.
“We must find the children today. We have hope that they are alive somewhere in there,” provincial governor Narongsak Osottanakorn said.
Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan said he believed the boys were alive.
Relatives gathered at the cave entrance, many having camped overnight hoping for news.
“Come home,” cried one distraught mother. “Mummy is here to pick you up.”
Among those waiting were three teammates who skipped Saturday’s expedition to the cave after football practice because their parents told them to come home, media said.
“I can’t concentrate at school knowing they are in there, so I came here,” said Sonpong Kantawong, 14, who missed the trip because his mother drove to pick him up after football practice.
The boys’ bicycles and football boots were found at the mouth of the caves after they went missing. A 17-member navy unit, including divers and underwater drones, joined the search.
Rescuers have covered about 6km of the 10km-long cave network, said park head Damrong Hanpakdeeniyom, adding that visitors were usually only allowed to venture in about 700m.
“Inside, it is very dark... And if it rains between July and December, we close it,” Damrong said. “This group went in further than allowed.”