Cave kids could be stuck for 4 months

Docs to stay with them until October

THE 12 young footballers trapped in a Thai cave network by floodwaters could be stuck there until October.

More heavy rain is coming and rescuers must wait until waters recede or risk dangerous dives through the maze of tunnels.

The military is preparing four months of rations and two doctors have volunteered to stay with the boys until they are recovered.

Ben Reymenants, a Belgian cave diver in the international rescue team, said: “Two Thai Navy doctors have volunteered to be locked up inside the cave… a huge sacrifice.”

The boys, aged 11 to 16, and their coach were found on June 23 after nine days in the Tham Luang Nang Non caves, in Chiang Rai province.

Medics have finally reached the “weak and skinny” lads, who were first treated with energy gels. Divers were yesterday seen sealing packets of pork and rice.

Heavy rainfall had created dangerous currents until a break in downfall allowed British divers spearheading the efforts to reach the chamber.

Footage showed John Volanthen and Rick Stanton finding the group on a ledge on Monday. They asked John when they would get out and he said “not today”, reassuring them: “There’s two of us. We have to dive. It’s OK... many people are coming.”

Coventry firefighter Rick was hailed a “natural-born hero” by his ex-colleague, watch commander Alex Daw. He said: “If it was me stuck, the one person I would want to come and rescue me is Rick.”

And John, a computer engineer from Bristol, bravely told reporters “we have a job to do” as they headed into the flooded caves last week.

The British Cave Rescue Council said: “There is only a short break in the monsoon and all feasible options are being considered.”

It is feared the boys, who cannot swim or dive, would not be able to navigate the tunnels. But Thai news said rescuers were appealing for 15 small full-face diving masks, fuelling speculation they could risk it.

Drilling into the chamber and airlifting them out is also an option. They are up to 2.5 miles inside the cave and half a mile underground.

Police are said to be looking at possible charges for the coach, 25, for leading the boys into the caves.