Thai team rescue

The forecast of heavy torrential monsoon rains deluging the Tham Luang Cave area at Chiang Rai in northern Thailand has underscored the urgency to act and forced the rescue team to speed up its efforts to bring the trapped youth footballers and their coach from the cave deep inside the belly of Doi Nang Non Mountain. It became a situation where time is of the essence and the rescue team cannot wait any longer. According to rescue experts, it’s “now or never”. With the consent of the families, the divers have begun their high-risk rescue bid and entered the flooded cave. Forty Thai divers and 50 foreign divers are involved in the difficult and dangerous operation to evacuate the school boys. Thai seals have posted a photo of divers’ linked arms with the reassuring caption: “We are ready to bring team home”. Two divers each are tasked to escort each team member in scuba-gear out of the flooded cave through “cave maze-bottleneck” and submerged tunnels separately.

Given the fact that the young footballers are being taken out individually (one by one), it could take three to four days to free them all from the cave network. Journey out of the cave to safety can take five to six hours. Thai authorities say that it all depends on weather and water levels. Media persons have been asked to leave the site outside the cave to provide more space for the rescuers and medicos. The images of the kids from the cave are too poignant for words.

It is a happy news that four boys have been already rescued and taken to hospital. The whole world has now come together in prayer for the unprecedented mission.

G David Milton Kanyakumari