Schoolmates’ smiles return as they hear their friends are safe
The worried faces of students at the Maesaiprasitsart School in Thailand have been replaced with smiles as an international rescue mission has begun to extract 12 boys and their football coach from a flooded cave.
Year 9 teacher Manusanit Chongpanyanon shared the good news yesterday with the students that eight of the boys had been rescued.
While the names of those rescued have not been released, six of the boys are students at the Maesaiprasitsart School and classmates say they have been closely monitoring the international mission to save them.
The Maesaiprasitsart students and teachers have also been holding daily prayer and meditation for everyone in the cave.
“I think everyone is going to come out safe,” Chongpanyanon said. A Thai poster asks for prayers for the trapped boys and their coach. “There’s nothing to be worried or scared about, but we have to give authorities time to work. Everybody needs to think about the safety and health of both the disaster victims and the rescuers.”
Phuwadech Kamnguen, 14, said one of the boys, Chanin “Tun” Wiboonrungrueng, 11, is one of his best friends.
“Tun is jovial, he is very approachable, and when he studies, he studies hard,” Phuwadech said.
In a letter Tun wrote in the cave that was relayed to his family by rescuers, he told his mother and father “please don’t worry, I am fine” and asked for fried chicken when he gets out of the cave.
Phuwadech said he remains worried about Tun and the others, particularly after seeing them in videos Thai Navy Seal divers have taken of the boys inside the cave and posted on Facebook.
“Even when my friends have left the cave, I’m worried about their physical wellbeing,” Phuwadech said. “From what I’ve seen in the clip, they did look skinny.”
Waranchit Kankaew, 14, said he is close friends with three of the boys: Sompong “Pong” Jaiwong, 13, Panumas “Mick” Saengdee, 13, and Duangpetch “Dom” Promthep, 13.
Waranchit said he has played inside the Tham Luang cave and can relate to the dangers the boys have faced while in the labyrinth.
“I used to get stuck in Tham Luang cave as well,” he said. “So I understand [how they feel]. I felt shocked and worried. It took 30 minutes to get out.”
—AP