Four more boys out of cave
First group of 12 boys rescued in hospital, ask for fried rice
MAE SAI, Thailand: Elite divers hauled four more young footballers out of a flooded Thai cave yesterday, authorities said, bringing to eight the number saved in a stunning rescue mission but still leaving five others trapped.
“Hooyah,” the Thai Navy SEALs, who have played a crucial role in the against-the- odds operation, said in a Facebook post as they announced that a total of eight members of the "Wild Boars" football team had been rescued on Sunday and Monday.
The extraction of the four on Monday followed a similar pattern to the previous day, with the youngsters emerging in quick succession just before nightfall after navigating a treacherous escape route of more than four kilometres.
Rescue operations chief Narongsak Osottanakorn on Sunday described their journey out, escorted by elite divers, as "smooth".
Crucially, round-the- clock pumping to ease some of the flooding had paid off.
“The water level is still at a satisfactory level and we have enough teams to complete the mission,” Narongsak said yesterday.
Rain could still re- emerge as a threat for the remaining five, particularly if there are complications that could delay the extraction further.
Weather forecasters warned heavy rain could hit the area through the week.
Authorities have repeatedly said the rain could re- flood crucial parts of the cave complex that have been drained and make the escape route much harder or even impossible to navigate. Meanwhile, the first four boys rescued were in good health and demanding fried rice in hospital on Monday, Osottanakorn said.
“The four children are fine. The children complained that they were hungry and wanted holy basil stir-fried rice,” Narongsak told reporters yesterday, referring to a popular Thai dish.
Interior Minister Anupong Paochinda also said the boys were in good health. He did not give further details.
Officials have yet to confirm the identities of the four boys freed. Narongsak on Monday said their identities were being protected out of respect for the families of those still trapped inside the cave.
Officials last week said they would bring the fittest people in the group out first, but Narongsak later said that whoever was ready first would be escorted out.
A source involved in the rescue mission who saw two of the four boys walk out of the cave told Reuters that they looked tired but healthy, adding that one even looked “vivacious and fresh”. He did not give further details. “Imagine marathon runners. It's like when they reach the finish line exhausted,” said the source.
At the hospital in Chiang Rai, green canvas sheets had been put up to block the entrance from view.
Medical staff involved in the rescue mission told Reuters their first assessments when the boys arrive at the hospital will focus on their breathing, signs of hypothermia and an airborne lung infection known as 'cave disease' which is caused by bat and bird droppings and can be fatal if untreated and allowed to spread to other parts of the body.
The first four rescued boys have been placed in a ward set aside specifically for the cave rescue, a source at the hospital said.
Thais have been fixated on the crisis, hoping desperately for the safe return of the 12 boys and their 25-year- old football coach, after they ventured into the Tham Luang cave complex after practice and became trapped by rising waters more than a fortnight ago.