Thai boys healthy, rescuers head home
Officials heap praise on teams who made sure mission was a success
The boys trapped for more than two weeks in a Thai cave have so far not shown any significant ill effects from their ordeal, doctors said as the Thai and foreign rescuers who saved them and their football coach began heading home.
Members of the Thai navy SEAL team, who were among the first searchers to penetrate the watery depth of Tham Luang Nang Non cave and the last divers out, have flown to their base at Sattahip on the Gulf of Thailand, where they received a heroes’ welcome. The ceremony was capped with their commander leading a rousing round of the navy cheer “Hooyah!” that became a trademark of their never-say-die effort to extricate the boys.
Foreign helpers, including some of the world’s best cave divers, also began travelling home.
Thai officials have been generous with their praise of foreign volunteers who were essential in the complicated search-and-rescue operation, including the two British divers who were the first to discover where the members of the Wild Boar football club were sheltering.
One of them, John Volanthen, and another British diver, Jason Mallison, met before they departed with Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, who presented each of them with a souvenir medal, a polo shirt and a lacquered wooden box marked with an official emblem.
“Jason has a 18-month-old baby but he drove to Heathrow airport [and flew] right away to Thailand after receiving a call from us,” Tourism Minister Weerasak Kowsurat told reporters after seeing the two divers off. “We’re so thankful that he sacrificed being with his family to be with us.”
He added: “For John, the person, who first discovered the boys, he has such impressive character. He didn’t feel that he was a hero. He said he just came to save the kids. We feel so in debt of gratitude for his help this time.”
The boys were described as generally being in normal condition in a Chiang Rai hospital, though their levels of recuperation varied because they were removed from the cave over three days.
Their relatives are being allowed to visit with them while wearing hospital gowns and masks after earlier being kept away from the boys for fear one group might spread infections to the other.
The four boys rescued on Sunday had normal heart rates and no fever, and the two of them with lung infections were improving, said Jedsada Chokdumrongsuk, permanent secretary of the Public Health Ministry.
Two of the four rescued on Monday had mild fevers, the secretary said in a statement. Three of the five in the last group had fevers that were easing, and three had middle ear infections.
All were receiving antibiotics. Jessada also said a psychiatrist was attending to the boys, who were sleeping well and were not showing symptoms of stress.
The 12 Wild Boars players and their coach had entered the cave to go exploring on June 23 but monsoon rains filled the tight passageways, blocking their escape. They were found 10 days later, huddled on a small, dry shelf just above the water, and divers and other international rescuers plotted the complex mission to rescue the team before more rain came.
Highlighting the dangers, a former Thai navy SEAL volunteering to work
The situation went beyond just being a rescue mission and became a symbol of unity among mankind. Narongsak Osatanakorn
on the rescue died on July 7 during a supply mission inside the cave.
Chiang Rai province acting Governor Narongsak Osatanakorn lauded the co-operation between Thai and international rescuers.
“The situation went beyond just being a rescue mission and became a symbol of unity among mankind,” he said on Wednesday night.
“Everyone worked together without discrimination of race or religion as the ultimate goal was to save the youth football team.”