Joy and relief at Thai rescue mission success
Four remaining boys and their coach pulled from flooded caves as rescuers tell of terror they faced
A dangerous two-week Thai rescue mission that transfixed the world was completed when news broke yesterday that the last of the 12 boys, aged 11-16, and their 25-year-old coach, had been pulled safely from deep inside the six-mile long Tham Luang cave by a dedicated team of 19 elite divers, supported by thousands of volunteers. A huge cheer of joy and relief erupted outside the cave as a helicopter flew overhead to transfer the final survivors to hospital.
EXHAUSTED and dishevelled, Thai rescue workers returned to their guesthouse in the northern town of Mae Sai late last night, desperate for bed and a shower, but visibly relieved that their dramatic mission to save 12 young boys and their football coach had been a success.
“We are so happy. I feel like a mountain has been removed from my chest,” said one man carrying a helmet under his arm. “Do you know the film Armageddon, where they have to save the world? That’s what this has felt like.”
News broke shortly before 7pm local time that the last of the 12 boys, aged 1116, and Ekapol Chanthawong, their 25-year-old coach, had been pulled safely from deep inside the six-mile long Tham Luang cave by a dedicated team of 19 elite divers, supported by thousands of volunteers.
The dangerous two-week rescue mission under terrifying conditions has transfixed the world, but rescue workers had largely shunned the attention, describing an atmosphere of intense concentration on the job.
Dr Suttiwit Junpirom, a former Thai Navy Seal who was working at the entrance to the cave, described the moment Mr Chanthawong, the last remaining survivor, was stretchered out to medics as “calm and subdued”.
“When the last person came out there was no cheering, just relief that we had finished our mission,” he told The Daily Telegraph.
“Inside the cave it was dark and quiet. Everyone was just very focused.”
By contrast, a huge cheer of joy erupted among tired local volunteers outside the cave as a helicopter flew overhead in the early evening to take the final survivors to hospital.
As news broke that the entire team had been saved from the labyrinthine cave complex, jubilation spread across Thailand’s northern Chiang Rai province, with car horns honking and social media lighting up with congratulations for the tireless rescue teams.
“This is an important event in my life,” said a visibly emotional Rachapol Ngamgrabuan, an official at Chiang Rai’s press office. “There were times when I cried. Happy. Very happy to see all Thai people love each other.”
“We are not sure if this is a miracle, a science, or what. All the 13 Wild Boars are now out of the cave,” said the Thai Navy Seals, who had spearheaded the mission, on Facebook, referring to the name of the children’s football team.
The mood among rescuers had been overwhelmingly optimistic from the outset yesterday despite heavy rainfall. Under overcast skies, Narongsak Osottanakorn, the Chiang Rai governor and head coordinator of the mission, correctly predicted shortly before noon that all five remaining survivors would be free by the end of the day.
Four boys and their coach were still waiting to be rescued after eight of their team-mates had been extracted in two batches on Sunday and Monday.
Three Navy Seals and an army medic had remained to look after them in their underground prison.
The boys started to leave the cave in quick succession shortly after 4pm, with all 13 free by 7pm. Shortly afterwards, the final Seals and the doctor emerged from the cave.
Rescuers had begun the day of the third rescue mission in a buoyant mood. A support team of former Navy Seals spotted at a guesthouse by The Daily Telegraph headed off at 8.30am with a traditional shout of “Hooyah!” after a rousing pep talk.
“We’re strong!” shouted the 15-strong group, in good spirits as they posed for photos and crossed their forearms in the Seals’ trademark symbol. When they returned shortly after 11pm, their “Hooyah!” was more subdued, but still defiant. Their mission was complete.
In escaping through a perilous, cragged passageway, much of which was submerged for over a mile, the boys have shown courage and resolve in conditions that would challenge even the most experienced of divers.
Prayuth Chan-ocha, the Thai prime minister, confirmed that they had been given anti-anxiety medication to help stay calm.
Ivan Karadzic, a Danish diver involved in the rescue described the full terror of the cave in an interview with the BBC. “They are forced to do something that no kid has ever done before. They are diving in something considered [an] extremely hazardous environment in zero visibility,” he said.
Mr Karadzic spoke of his own trepidation the first time he saw a child coming towards him underwater.
“I was very scared, because when I saw the diver and the kid in the horizon, we can’t see that far but maybe about 50m, I still didn’t know if it was a casualty or a kid,” he said. “But when I saw that he was alive and breathing and seemed to be all right, it felt very good.”
Despite their ordeal, the boys appear to be in good health although doctors said yesterday that they would be kept in medical isolation for at least a week.
Mr Osottanakorn said the “real hero of Tham Luang” was Saman Kunan, the former Navy Seal who died last week when he ran out of air on a return dive. “I wish Saman sleeps well,” he said.
He also praised the impressive cooperation of rescue workers. “Today Thai people, Team Thailand achieved the mission impossible.”
Relatives of the survivors were ecstatic. As the good news was broken to Umporn Sriwathai, the aunt of the coach, over the phone, she said that she wanted to “jump in the air”. “I’m so happy!” she exclaimed, as she prepared to rush to the hospital to greet him.
SIR – I remember with pleasure Allison Pearson’s article in this paper’s special referendum edition of June 25, 2016, and the equally enjoyable piece by Andrew Roberts: “This vote was a people’s revolt in the great British tradition.”
Since that date, I have watched events unfold with increasing dismay.
I watched the Prime Minister approach Brussels as a supplicant. I listened to concession after concession made by Britain, with no concessions on the other side. I bit my lips at the countless jibes of “Little Englanders” and accusations of xenophobia levelled by many people, including many British politicians.
I listened to the insults from Brussels, which came at regular intervals and were applauded by our own politicians.
The final insult, the death of Brexit, has been the Prime Minister’s White Paper recommendations. This half in, half out Brexit does not fool any Brexiteer: it is a sell-out, a broken vow and a falsehood. Walter Leadbetter
Auchterarder, Perthshire
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Loughborough, Leicestershire
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Coltishall, Norfolk
SIR – As always, your Letters page reflects collective national opinion on the Prime Minister and her mismanagement of Brexit.
She and all other Remainers may not realise it as yet, but in trying to keep Britain closely tied to the EU in a manner completely unacceptable to the 17.4 million who voted Leave, they have lost the battle.
Leaving without an agreement with the EU is to be preferred. All businesses, large and small, will cope. David T Price
Managing Director, Oxfordshire Glass Banbury, Oxfordshire
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In reality, events have proved that Remainers are “Little Europeans”, afraid of dealing with countries south of the Mediterranean and east of the Carpathians. There’s a big trading world out there, Prime Minister. Susanne Burton
Wedmore, Somerset
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Newbury, Berkshire
SIR – We no longer have a Chamberlain as our leader but rather, I fear, a Pétain. The Conservative Party will not forgive the knife in the back of the British people wielded by Mrs May but forged by her “advisers”. Chris Rome
Thruxton, Hampshire
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Royal Wootton Bassett, Wiltshire
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Boughrood, Radnorshire
SIR – I applaud David Davis and Boris Johnson for their principled stand. However, while understanding the frustration of Terry Smith (Letters, July 10), I feel it is essential that both Michael Gove and Liam Fox, along with the other Brexit-supporting ministers, remain in Theresa May’s Cabinet to ensure that she and Philip Hammond make good on their promise to plan for a “no deal” Brexit.
If the remaining Brexiteers leave the Cabinet now, I have no doubt that Mr Hammond (and the Civil Service) will renege on this issue and Mrs May will be unwilling or unable to overrule them.
The likelihood that Mrs May’s appalling Brexit model will be voted down by Parliament is very high, particularly since it is likely she will offer even further concessions to Brussels by way of free movement and regulatory alignment. When these concessions are made, then will be the time for more Brexit-supporting ministers to resign. Ian Taylor
Sudbury, Suffolk
SIR – At six o’clock on Monday evening I listened to news of the Cabinet resignations on Radio 4. This was followed by I’m Sorry I Haven’t a Clue. John Turnbull
Redmarshall, Co Durham
SIR – According to Boris Johnson, “the Brexit dream is dying” (report, July 10).
Perhaps someone could spell out the dream for us so we can get on and deliver it. So far all I see is nightmares and nonexistent leadership. Ian Mckenzie
Pavenham, Bedfordshire
SIR – With the death of Lord Carrington we have seen the last of our few honourable politicians. We are much in need of more of his stamp. Deirdre Lay
Ewhurst, Surrey
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Secondly, Michael Gove for withdrawing his support for Boris Johnson as leader at the last moment. We would be in a very different place
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Cotgrave, Nottinghamshire
SIR – I thought it took two to negotiate. The report (July 10) of Jean-claude Juncker and Donald Tusk sarcastically mocking the British Government, after the resignations of David Davis and Boris Johnson, was deeply distasteful. Pat Taylor
Fetcham, Surrey
SIR – Politicians in favour of continuing to try to get a “deal” from the EU keep saying that it will make concessions on trade because it is in the EU’S interests to continue to sell goods to us.
However, EU commissioners, who make the rules, cannot be voted out by an electorate. Thus they don’t have to worry about what people want. German car manufacturers may well be desperate to reach an agreement with us, but this won’t matter at all to those commissioners, whose only consideration is to maintain the political union at all costs.
This is the democratic deficit in action. Alison Levinson
Hastings, East Sussex
SIR – I am disappointed in William Hague (Comment, July 10). He condemns Brexiteers as “romantics” and says we must be realistic. In his view we can’t leave the EU in any meaningful sense because doing so is just too difficult.
Of course we need to be realistic, but people also need a vision of a goal that they can work towards. If this is romantic, then so be it. Alan Moore
Storrington, West Sussex
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London SW6
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Hartley, Kent
SIR – As Brexit was a national decision, discussion on how to implement it should also be at national level. That means the Government should have been canny enough to involve all political parties in planning its policies. A cross-party committee should have been formed within weeks of the referendum, and should have included non-government economists and trade specialists.
Is it too late to put a group together to thrash out what Britain really wants and needs? Valerie Thompson
West Horsley, Surrey
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Newport. Monmouthshire
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I urge any paid-up Conservative readers not to burn their membership cards; rather, encourage people to join. The thought of a Jeremy Corbyn, John Mcdonnell, Emily Thornberry or Diane Abbott running this country makes me fear for our future. Eleanor Davis
Buckley, Flintshire
SIR – I suggest that Mrs May only gave Boris Johnson a position in her Cabinet to keep him onside.
To appoint him Foreign Secretary indicated how much she feared his ambitions. She was very percipient in that respect, but lacking in judgment.
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Prenton, Wirral
SIR – Like many of your readers, I will not be voting Conservative in the next election. However, this decision seems very unfair to Jacob Rees-mogg and his Eurosceptic colleagues, who have put every effort into honouring the wishes of the electorate.
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Pluckley, Kent
SIR – If we were not able to understand the concept of “in or out”, how does Vince Cable, the Lib Dem leader, think that voters will be able, in a second referendum, to pronounce on the complexities of the precise terms of the final agreement with the EU? Hannah Davies
Chertsey, Surrey
SIR – Keir Starmer, the shadow Brexit secretary, was interviewed on the radio on Monday about Theresa May’s latest Brexit policy attempt. At one point, in support of remaining part of the EU in fact if not in name, he stated that it was necessary because our exports there will need to meet EU specifications.
Clearly Mr Starmer has never exported as much as a bean in his illustrious legal career. While he is correct that exports to the EU must meet EU specifications, so must exports to the US market meet US specifications, while those to China must meet Chinese specifications. That does not mean that such trade confers a right on them to impose and control our domestic laws. Terry Lloyd
Derby
SIR – Let’s hope that football is “coming home”, as Brexit quite clearly isn’t. Nigel Hindle
Warminster, Wiltshire