Search and rescue
The technology, vehicles and skills needed to save lives
Huddled inside a cave, a young football team shivers with their knees tucked into their chins and shirts pulled over their legs. The boys and their coach have been trapped for ten days after an expedition into Thailand’s Tham Luang cave quickly turned from celebration to disaster.
When monsoon rains hit and the water levels rose, they desperately sought higher ground, squeezing through narrow tunnels and passageways as they were forced further into the cave system. They could find no escape, but about three kilometres from the cave’s entrance they found a small rock ledge high enough to keep them safe. In total darkness, they clambered onto the ledge and hoped for rescue. Without food, and with oxygen levels running low, their chances of survival were slim.
There was little hope that the boys were still alive when their bikes were found outside the cave, but the rescuers were determined; in a matter of hours soldiers, doctors and divers assembled among the tents of families and volunteers. Water pumps were carried to the site to try and lower the water levels in the cave. As the boys sat trapped by the water, they had no way of knowing that outside more than 1,000 people from around the world had rallied to their aid, or that the events about to unfold would become one of the greatest rescue missions in recent years.
After dozens of divers scoured the cave, help finally arrived for the boys. A torch pierced the darkness of their chamber, and a British diver emerged from the water shouting: “We are coming. We are the first. You have been here ten days. You are very strong.” Sadly, during a dive to take oxygen to the boys, Saman Kunan, a former Thai Navy SEAL, lost his life. This tragedy highlighted the dangers involved in the rescue efforts, even for the most experienced divers. Over the next few days divers took the boys food, water and medical supplies as the world watched on as each one was sedated and removed, held by rescuers who navigated the frozen water and jagged rocks. Then, more than 17 days after they first entered the cave, all 12 boys and their coach emerged alive and into the arms of their families and friends.
The rescue effort captured the world’s attention, but it isn’t the only one of its kind. Every day, it’s estimated that over 600 people go missing globally due to crime, natural disasters or tragedy at sea and on land. This can occur anywhere, from the open ocean to the shoreline, from mountains and forests to caves and countryside. Being part of the teams that search for and rescue people in danger is a job that takes determination, bravery and skill, and it relies on a combination of advanced technology and intense training.
Search and rescue (SAR) teams worldwide work tirelessly to safely return missing people home from being lost on the land or at sea. In the UK, the largest SAR organisations consist mainly of volunteers, including the Bristow Group’s Helicopter Service, Lowland Rescue and UK SAR. Yet these are just some of the many SAR teams that race against the clock to find those in critical danger and battle some of the world’s harshest weather and toughest terrain to save lives – no matter when or where.
“These are the teams that race against the clock to find those in critical danger and battle some of the world’s toughest terrain to save lives”