Divers have entered a northern Thailand cave to retrieve the last four members of a football team and their coach on what rescuers hope will be the final day of the mission to free them.
Torrential rain struck the cave site on Monday evening and the downpour continued through Tuesday morning, but authorities said preparations for the final rescue mission were unaffected.
“You have seen the rain so you might be wondering – preparation for the third operation has been under way since early morning,” said , the head of the joint command centre coordinating the operation.Thailand cave rescue: how are the boys getting out?Read more
“If everything goes right, we will see four kids and a doctor and three Seals that have stayed with the kids will all come out,” he said. “Four plus one coach, so it’s five.”
Even after completing the dark, treacherous journey from the depths of Tham Luang cave to safety, the rescued members of the Wild Boars football squad face additional barriers to resuming their normal lives.
Before the boys can enjoy a warm embrace with their relatives, doctors must be confident they will not make anyone ill.
Thongchai Lertwilairattanapong, a Thai health department official, told the news site Kom Chad Luek there would be “no hugging or touching” until blood tests proved the boys were free of infections. He named leptospirosis and meliodosis – bacterial infections that can be transmitted through soil or water – as possible risks.
Hugh Montgomery, a professor of intensive care medicine at University College London, said caves presented a risk of tick-borne relapsing fever as well as histoplasmosis, a fungal lung infection commonly known as “cave disease”.
The policy of separation between the boys and their loved ones marks a departure from the initial plan described to the Guardian by a member of the mental health crisis assessment and treatment team at the rescue site. The original plan was to arrange for at least one parent to accompany each boy in an ambulance on the way to Chiang Rai’s Prachanukroh hospital.
Despite their ordeal, and the prospect of having to turn down a Fifa invitation to the World Cup final on doctors orders, all the rescued boys are mentally well, an official has told AFP.
“All eight are in good health, no fever... everyone is in a good mental state,” Jedsada Chokdamrongsuk, permanent secretary of the public health ministry, told reporters at Chiang Rai hospital where the boys were recuperating.
Jedsada Chokdumrongsuk (centre) at a press conference on the condition of eight boys after they were rescued from Tham Luang cave Photograph: Rungroj Yongrit/EPA
Ivan Karadzic, a member of international rescue team, is full of admiration for the way the rescued boys have coped with the unprecedented operation.
Speaking to the BBC he said:
They are being forced to do something that no kid has ever done before. It is not in any way normal for kids to do cave diving aged 11. They are diving in something that is considered an extremely hazardous environment, in zero visibility, the only light in there is the torches you bring yourself. We were obviously very afraid of any kind of panic. Then there is multiple equipment malfunctions you can imagine.
I cannot understand how cool these small kids are ... Incredibly strong kids.
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The main thing to note, of course, is that the third and hopefully final rescue mission began a few hours ago, with the intention of bringing out all four boys, their 25-year-old coach, and the doctor and the navy Seals who have been in the cave with them. We’ll bring you updates as we get them about that mission.
19 divers went back into the cave system at 10.08am, local time.
Authorities hope the mission can be completed even faster than yesterday’s nine hours, which shaved two hours off the total time of the first mission.
Conditions remain similar to previous days, despite heavy rains overnight.
From the information released about the rescued boys, it’s understood the youngest, aged just 11, as well as the coach remain in the cave.
Health officials say the first four boys rescued have now seen their parents - through a glass window - and will soon get to speak to them. The second group of four are expected to also reunite with their parents soon.
The boys are in good health, although two have “minor” lung infections, and all are wearing sunglasses after spending more than two weeks in near total darkness.
They are undergoing further tests, and have been kept away from TVs so as not to impact their mental health.
They are also not yet allowed to eat the rich Thai food they’ve been requesting - so far it’s diluted porridge, bread, and some chocolate.
They will remain in hospital for at least seven days, meaning they won’t make it to the World Cup finals, which they were invited to by the president of Fifa.
Elon Musk has shown up with his mini-submarine and left it at the site, but the rescue chief has said it’s not of any use.
“Today is 10 July 2018. It will be longer than previous ones. We will celebrate together! Hooyah!”
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The rescue chief has politely dismissed the much publicised attempts by tech entrepreneur, Elon Musk, to help the mission. According to his tweets, Musk has spent the past few days designing and building a small submarine, ostensibly to help get the boys out safely.
“Although his technology is good and sophisticated it’s not practical for this mission,” Narongsak Osatanakorn, the head of the joint command centre coordinating the operation, said a short time ago.
Earlier today, Musk tweeted that he had brought the mini submarine - “made of rocket parts and named Wild Boar after kids’ soccer team” - to the cave site, leaving it there in case it was useful in the future. Four boys were already out at that stage, but the rescue mission for another four and their coach had not yet begun.
Rescue Chief on @elonmusk Submarine: "Although his technology is good and sophisticated it's not practical for this mission" @heldavidson#thanluangcAve
Just returned from Cave 3. Mini-sub is ready if needed. It is made of rocket parts & named Wild Boar after kids’ soccer team. Leaving here in case it may be useful in the future. Thailand is so beautiful. pic.twitter.com/EHNh8ydaTT
If everything goes to plan, by end of the day, no Wild Boars will be left inside the cave.
“You have seen the rain so you might be wondering – preparation for the third operation has been under way since early morning,” said Narongsak Osatanakorn, the head of the joint command centre coordinating the operation.
He said the first 19 divers involved in today’s operation were sent in around 10.08am, with more to enter gradually throughout the day.
Torrential rain overnight had not affected conditions for the rescue, he said, it was hoped the rescue could proceed even faster than yesterday’s.
“The first day we spent 11 hours, yesterday we spent nine hours, [today] we hope we can do it faster or the same as yesterday.”
“If everything goes right, we will see four kids and a doctor and Seals that have stayed with the kids will all come out,” he said. “Four plus one coach, so it’s five.”
