Bid to rescue 12 boys trapped in Thai cave slowed by flood
RAIN THAT FELL OVERNIGHT INCREASED THE DIFFICULTY OF EXPLORING INSIDE THE CAVE
Intensive efforts to rescue 12 boys and their soccer coach who have been trapped inside a flooded cave in northern Thailand for three days hinge on pumping out water so that navy divers have headroom to operate, the first high-level Thai official to visit the site said yesterday.
Interior Minister Anupong Paojinda told reporters that Navy SEAL divers leading the search for the missing are seriously handicapped by muddy water that fill some chambers of the cave to their ceilings.
He said the divers could proceed only when enough water has been pumped out so there is breathing space between the water and the ceiling. The divers will also soon start using special oxygen tanks that provide longer diving times, he said.
Anupong said that yesterday’s goal was to be able to “reach the kids,” and that rescuers would be working night and day.
“I want to confirm to the media that the SEAL team will be working non-stop because it’s already dark here too,” he said. “So night and day doesn’t make a big difference. They’ll just need to rotate.”
About a dozen navy divers and other rescuers re-entered the partly flooded cave on Tuesday morning to search for the boys, aged 11-16, who have been missing since their coach took them to the Tham Luang Nang Non cave complex on Saturday after a practice match.
Divers have been seeking a way forward through the chambers of the cave complex, but have been forced to suspend their search several times. The authorities have also been seeking alternative ways in, using helicopters and search parties on foot to find holes that might exist in the ceilings of other parts of the cave.
Rain that fell overnight increased the difficulty of exploring inside the cave. However, the initial chambers near the cave’s entrance are dry, and a power line was extended inside to provide light and ventilation.
Mother’s report
The boys and their 25-yearold coach entered the cave in Chiang Rai province late Saturday afternoon. A mother reported that her son did not return from soccer practice that day, setting off the search.
Relatives of the missing boys and others performed a ritual yesterday morning calling for those who are missing. They played drums and gongs and two relatives held fishing nets as symbols to fish out lost spirits from the cave. Organiser Jiratat Kodyee said the ritual was a traditional way of showing support for the boys’ families.