‘Magical’: Thai boys recount rescue

They drank water from cave walls and attempted to dig their way out

Members of a youth soccer team on Wednesday recounted their harrowing, two-week ordeal in a flooded Thai cave and the “magical” moment when rescuers emerged from the murky waters and assured them help was on the way.

The 12 boys and their coach ultimately were freed in an intricate, three-day international mission that ended more than a week ago. They appeared Wednesday at a news conference televised across that nation of 70 million people who have been transfixed by the team’s tale.

The members of the Wild Boars hugged friends and kicked a ball around on a miniature, makeshift soccer field. Doctors said they had gained an average of more than 6 pounds each and were in good health – physically and mentally.

One player recalled being startled when the first rescue diver arrived on the 10th day of the odyssey.

“It was magical,” said Adul Samon, 14, in comments translated by Reuters. “I had to think a lot before I could answer their questions.”

The boys, ages 11-17, and coach Ekapol Chantawong, 25, went into the Tham Luang cave in northern Thailand on June 23, planning to explore for about an hour, the coach said. They had just finished a practice game and were taking part in a team-building exercise.

The boys initially hiked in but later waded through water. Heavy rains soon sent a wall of water rushing into the cave, flooding sections and blocking their exit. They were trapped more than 2 miles from freedom.

Ekapol said the group had eaten before entering the cave, but had no food with them. They drank water dripping from the cave walls. They meditated to stay calm and preserve energy, he said. And they tried to save themselves.

“We took turns digging at the cave walls,” Ekapol said. “We didn’t want to wait around until authorities found us.”

The team’s youngest member, Titan, said he “had no strength. I tried not to think about food so I didn’t get more hungry.”

Divers found them nine days later, huddled and hungry but in fairly good health. But it took another week to design a plan to extricate the boys. A team of more than 100 rescuers from a dozen countries finally rescued them, but not before a former Thai navy diver passed out and died from lack of oxygen while helping set up the escape route.

Lt. Col. Pak Loharachun, an army doctor who stayed in the cave with the team from when they were found until they were rescued, said the team managed to dig a 16-foot hole in their efforts to burrow to freedom. Pak, in a Facebook post, also lauded Ekapol for putting the boys’ well-being before his own.

The news conference was tightly controlled by Thai officials. Media questions were screened and provided to the team. Justice ministry official Tawatchai Thaikaew said while the boys seemed fine emotionally, it was too early to tell whether issues might crop up.

Banphot Konkum, the ecstatic uncle who has raised 13-year-old Duangpetch Promthep, told The Associated Press that the boy will be going home to a renovated bedroom and plenty of gifts.

“If he wants anything we’ll buy it for him as a present as we promised,” Banphot said.

“We took turns digging at the cave walls. We didn’t want to wait around until authorities found us.”

Ekapol Chantawong soccer coach

VINCENT THIAN/AP Coach Ekapol Chantawong, left, and members of the Wild Boars soccer team show their respect with a portrait of Saman Gunan, the retired Thai diver who died during their rescue, at a news conference in Chiang Rai, Thailand.