Be a force for good, navy SEAL commander tells boys
BANGKOK: The head of a Thai navy SEAL diving team that helped lead 12 boys and their football coach through a flooded cave complex to safety has urged the boys to “be a force for good”.
The first footage of the boys, aged 11 to 16, convalescing in hospital in the northern city of Chiang Rai emerged on Wednesday, with some – wearing face masks and hospital gowns – giving peace signs for the camera.
Health officials said the boys would spend at least a week in hospital and around 30 days recovering at home.
“Make the most of your lives. Be good people, be a force for good for your country,” Rear Admiral Apakorn Yuukongkaew, commander of Thailand’s navy SEALS unit, said in a message to the boys before boarding a flight from Chiang Rai yesterday.
“Hooyah!” he shouted before flying out, using a morale-building navy term.
Footage released by the SEALs showed parts of the rescue operation that captivated the world.
The boys were held close to divers and stayed motionless for parts of the journey where they had to dive.
They were then carried on stretchers through dry parts to the cave’s entrance. — Reuters