Tham Luang cave rescue

Tham Luang cave rescue

Rescue personnel and equipment at the cave entrance
Date	23 June 2018 – present (2325 days)
Location	Tham Luang Nang Non, Mae Sai, Mae Sai Subdistrict, Mae Sai District, Chiang Rai Province, Thailand
Coordinates	20°22′54″N 99°52′06″E
Type	Cave rescue
Cause	Monsoon flooding
Outcome	Children and their coach found alive after nine days. Ten of twelve children rescued as of 10 July.
Deaths	1 rescue diver
Non-fatal injuries	Minor scrapes and cuts, mild rashes,, lung inflammation which may be histoplamosis
Tham Luang Nang Non Chiang Rai Bangkok Location within Thailand

On 23 June 2018, twelve boys aged 11 to 17 and a 25-year-old man became stranded in Tham Luang Nang Non (Thai: ถ้ำหลวงนางนอน), a cave in Thailand's Chiang Rai Province. Heavy rains partially flooded the cave during their visit. The boys, all members of a local association football team, and their assistant coach were reported missing a few hours later, and search operations began immediately.

Efforts to locate them were hampered by rising water levels, and no contact was made for over a week. The rescue effort expanded into a massive operation amid intense worldwide media coverage and public interest. After struggles through narrow passages and muddy waters, British divers discovered the missing people, all alive, on an elevated rock about 3.2 kilometres (2.0 mi) from the cave mouth, on 2 July, over nine days after they went missing. Rescuer organizers discussed whether to teach the boys and their coach basic dive techniques to enable their early rescue or wait months for the floodwaters to subside at the end of the monsoon season. After days of pumping water from the cave system and a respite from rain, four of the boys were rescued on 8 July. The following day an additional four were rescued. As of 9 July, four boys and their assistant coach remain trapped. Rescue teams hastened to pull all persons out before the monsoon was predicted to resume on 11 July, bringing a potential 52 millimetres of rainfall.

Over 1,000 people were involved in the rescue operation, including Thai Navy SEALs, volunteers and technical assistance teams from multiple countries. One death occurred during the rescue: a 38-year-old former Thai SEAL asphyxiated on 5 July while attempting to return to the cave opening after delivering supplies of air to the interior.

Disappearance

Thai news report from NBT news (no subtitles)

Tham Luang Nang Non is a karstic cave complex beneath Doi Nang Non, a mountain range on the border between Thailand and Myanmar. The system is 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) long and has many deep recesses, narrow passages and tunnels winding under hundreds of metres of limestone strata. Since part of the cave system is seasonally flooded, a sign advising against entering the caves during the rainy season (July–November) is posted at the entrance.

On 23 June 2018, a group of 12 boys aged between 11 and 17 from a local junior football team named the Wild Boars and their 25-year-old coach, Ekapol Chantawong, went missing after setting out to explore the cave, despite a warning sign posted at the entrance, and have a picnic to celebrate the 17th birthday of one of the boys, Peerapat Sompiangjai. The group was apparently stranded in the dark tunnels by a sudden and continuous downpour after they entered the cave. A ranger of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation alerted authorities to the missing group after seeing their unclaimed belongings at the cave entrance.

List of group members

Name	Age
Chanin Vibulrungruang	11
Panumas Sangdee	13
Duganpet Promtep	13
Somepong Jaiwong	13
Mongkol Booneiam	13
Nattawut Takamrong	14
Ekarat Wongsukchan	14
Adul Sam-on	14
Prajak Sutham	15
Pipat Pho	15
Pornchai Kamluang	16
Peerapat Sompiangjai	17
Ekapol Chantawong (assistant coach)	25

Search and contact

Rescuers looking for alternative access routes to the cave

Military divers searched the cave. A Thai Navy Seal diver said the water was so murky that even with lights they could not see where they were going underwater. Owing to continuous rain, which further flooded the cave entrance, the search had to be periodically interrupted. After four days, the Thai Navy Seals were joined by a group of 30 personnel of the United States Indo-Pacific Command and British cave diving rescue experts Richard Stanton, John Volanthen, and Robert Harper, with Heyphone VLF radios, borrowed from the Derbyshire Cave Rescue Organisation.

Policemen with sniffer dogs searched for shaft openings that could provide alternative entrances to the cave branches below. Drones and robots were used to improve the search effort; however, no technology currently exists to scan for people deep underground.

The 12 boys and the coach were located, all alive, on 2 July 2018, at approximately 22:00 local time. The group was discovered by Stanton and Volanthen on a narrow rock shelf about 400 metres (1,300 ft) beyond the "Pattaya Beach" chamber, named after an above-ground beach in Thailand. Volanthen was placing guidelines in the cave to later assist others in navigation. He ran out of line, which led him to swim to the surface—there, he found the missing team and its coach. The ledge where they were found is about 3.2 kilometres (2.0 mi) from the cave mouth.

External videos
The first video released by Thai Navy Seal showing the children and their coach after they were found by British volunteer divers

A video of the encounter, showing the boys and their interactions with the divers, was posted on Facebook by the Thai Navy Seal. In the video, the dazed boys appear to be unaware of how long they have been trapped deep underground as they ask the divers what day it is.

Chiang Rai Governor Narongsak Osatanakorn announced the development, stating "We found them safe. But the operation isn't over."

External images
Map, from above, of the Tham Luang cave system, provided by BBC News
Map, side view, of the Tham Luang cave system, provided by Deutsche Welle

Aid inside

On 3 July, seven divers, including a doctor and a nurse, joined the group inside the caves. Thai officials told reporters that rescuers were providing health checks and treatment, and keeping the boys entertained, adding that none of those trapped was in a serious condition. "They have been fed with easy-to-digest, high-energy food with vitamins and minerals, under the supervision of a doctor," Rear Admiral Apagorn Youkonggaew, head of the Thai Navy's Special Forces, told reporters. On this occasion, a video made by the rescue mission and shared a few hours later by the Thai Navy Seal, shows all 12 boys and their coach introducing themselves and stating their age. Wrapped in emergency blankets and appearing frail, all 12 boys and their adult coach said hello to the outside world in a brief video message. "Sawatdi khrap," each boy says with his palms together in wai, the traditional Thai greeting. A second video shows a medic treating their feet and gaunt legs. It is believed that some of the group cannot swim, complicating what would already be a difficult rescue.

The boys and their coach have been corresponding with relatives and rescuers through letters sent by divers in and out of the cave. Many of the notes profess their safety, reassure the recipients that everything is fine, and include words of love, reassurance and encouragement.

Planning and preparation

Rescue workers had to battle rising water levels, and leaders said that those trapped might either have to learn how to dive or wait months for waters to recede. Normally, the cave system is flooded in the rainy season, which lasts until September or October.

Surveys showed flooded passages in a portion of the cave that penetrates far into the mountain. The point where the boys became stranded is about 3.2 kilometres (2.0 mi) from the entrance and 800–1,000 metres (2,600–3,300 ft) below the top of the mountain. The route to them had several flooded sections and some parts which are extremely narrow, the narrowest being about 40 cm, and parts that may have strong currents and zero visibility. The journey length into the cave is six hours (against the current) and five hours out of the cave (in line with the current), even for experienced divers, and panicking during the journey could prove fatal. Teams searched for alternative entrances to the cave system which could allow for an easier escape route. Drilling was used to help drain water and was also considered as a means to open a viable escape path, though no suitable location was found.

Pumps used to drain water from the cave and downstream lakes

Systems were quickly installed for pumping water out of the cave system and for diverting flows that were entering it. In combination with the unusually dry weather for the time of year, those efforts reduced water levels in the cave by 1.5 centimetres (0.59 in) per hour on 5 July, enabling rescue teams to walk 1.5 kilometres (0.93 mi) into the cave. Heavy rains were expected on 8 July, which might have halted or reversed this process and even threatened to flood the position where the team became trapped. On 4 July 2018, it was reported the pumps were removing an estimated 1,600,000 L/h (420,000 US gal/h) in total. The Czech Republic offered to provide a Czech manufacturer's high performance pumps; the state has four such pumps, each with an output of 400 litres per second (1,440,000 L/h (380,000 US gal/h)).

On 6 July 2018, the oxygen level in the cave was found to have dropped, raising fears that the trapped boys might develop hypoxia if they remained in the cave for a prolonged time period. That same day, an air supply line was installed into the chamber. However, by 8 July, the oxygen levels dropped to 15% while the level needed to maintain normal function of a human is between 19.5% and 23.5%.

Divers

A team of 90 divers worked in the cave system, 40 from Thailand and 50 from overseas. Leaders of the rescue decided to have the team led out by experienced divers. This required teaching them diving skills and preparing them physically and mentally for an extremely difficult journey. Weather was expected to influence when and how operations would proceed.

The British Cave Rescue Council sent seven divers to assist with the operation, including Jason Mallinson and Chris Jewel who brought 500 kilograms (1,100 lb) of diving equipment and other experienced cave rescue personnel to provide surface control for the divers.

Main cave entrance in heavy rain

US National Rescue Commission coordinator Anmar Mirza, a cave rescue expert with 30 years of experience, agreed that the option of diving the team out would be "incredibly dangerous", but if flooding worsened and finding another entrance, or waiting, became less of an option, diving out would have to be seriously considered. As of 5 July, teaching the boys to dive was being considered "Plan A", and some instruction had already begun.

Diversion dam

A stone diversion dam was built upstream. In combination with pumping, this helped to lower the water level, but required flooding nearby farm fields. For a time, well-meaning volunteers were inadvertently pumping water back into the groundwater supply.

Logistics camp

The rescue camp is located in front of the cave entrance and includes hundreds of volunteers and journalists in addition to the rescue workers. The site is divided into several zones. There are restricted areas for the Thai Navy Seals, other military personnel, and civilian rescuers, an area for the relatives to give them privacy, and areas for the press, and for the general public.

Death of a rescue diver

A 38-year-old former Thai Navy Seal Petty Officer, Saman Kunan, died of asphyxiation while delivering supplies to the cave on 6 July 2018. He had volunteered to help with the rescue effort and was placing air tanks along the route for future missions when he was unable to breathe and lost consciousness during the return trip. Thai authorities were racing to replenish oxygen in the cave, which was dipping to dangerously low levels because of the large number of rescue workers inside. Kunan was brought to the surface by his dive partner, but attempts to resuscitate him failed. A royal-sponsored funeral in Bangkok has been arranged in his honour.

Rescue

On the morning of 8 July, officials instructed the media and all non-essential personnel around the cave entrance to clear the area as a rescue operation was imminent due to the threat of monsoon rains later in the week which were expected to flood the cave until October. Thirteen rescue divers were sent into the caves to retrieve the boys using a "buddy system", where two divers would accompany each boy out of the cave, one ahead of him carrying the boy's air tank and one behind. The team is equipped with full face masks, accompanied by two divers that both carried their own air supply, following a dive line. The authorities warned, however, that extracting everyone would take a few days, because crews must replace air tanks, gear, and other supplies, requiring 10 to 20 hours between each run. Rescue workers explained that low water levels had decreased the time required to reach the entrance of the cave.

Shortly after 19:00 local time, local officials told various media sources that two boys were rescued from the cave and taken to Chiangrai Prachanukroh Hospital. Shortly after, two more boys exited the cave and were assessed by medical officials nearby.

As of 9 July 2018, a total of eight boys are reported to have been rescued, with four boys being rescued before the end of the rescue operations for the second day. The healthiest boys were rescued first, as officials believed they would have the best chance of surviving the escape route first.

A number of news outlets reported on the role coach Ekapol had played during the rescue efforts. The coach had been a Buddhist monk before and had guided meditation for the children during the ordeal. He also had passed on a message in which he apologized for bringing the children into danger.

Recovery

Thai authorities said the rescued boys were able to eat rice porridge, but more complex foods would be withheld for 10 days. Those rescued were quarantined while health workers determined if they caught any infectious diseases in the cave, and the boys were expected to remain hospitalized for at least a week.

Responses

Local

Residents of Chiang Rai province have volunteered to cook, and clean for, and otherwise support the missing team's families and the rescue teams at the encampment by the cave mouth. Social media were employed to draw attention to the rescue attempts. Classmates and teachers of the team spend time chanting and praying for the missing boys. Local schools have donated money to help the parents of the trapped boys with living costs, as many of the parents have stopped working in order to be able to follow the rescue attempts.

Thailand

On 29 June 2018, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha visited the search site and told the families of the boys not to give up hope.

Following the death of Saman Kunan, King Rama X announced that he would sponsor Kunan's funeral.

International

Volunteers, teams and technical assistance from multiple countries, including the United Kingdom, China, Myanmar, Laos, Australia, the United States, Japan, Russia, Finland, Denmark, Sweden, the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, the Czech Republic, Ukraine, India and Israel are participating in the operation. France also offered to send a team of specialists and equipment, but Thai authorities believed that adequate resources already were on site.

Engineers from SpaceX and The Boring Company travelled to Thailand to offer assistance. Inflatable escape pods were designed and fabricated then flown to Thailand for use if needed. The Thai authorities declined to use a midget submarine developed by the companies on the grounds that it was impractical.

FIFA, via a letter from its president Gianni Infantino to the president of the Football Association of Thailand, has invited the children and coach trapped in the cave to the World Cup final if circumstances allow. As the team will need to stay in hospital for at least a week, they would watch the final on television instead.

Timeline

23 June: The football team entered the Tham Luang cave shortly after football practice and prior to heavy rain. Later, the mother of one of the boys reported to local police that her son was missing after he failed to arrive home. Local police investigated and found shoes and bicycles near the entrance of the cave.

24 June: Officials found what were believed to be handprints and footprints that belonged to the boys. A vigil is held outside of the cave by relatives.

25 June: Thai Navy SEAL divers enter the cave to search for the football team.

26 June: Having arrived at a T-junction, divers were pushed back due to floodwaters. The floodwaters blocked an elevated air pocket near Pattaya Beach, where divers believe the team may have been stranded.

27 June: British and a U.S. military team of divers and experts were sent to Thailand to help with the search. Divers re-entered but quickly retreated due to another flooding.

28 June: Heavy rains caused the rescue operation to stop temporarily. In order to drain the water, pumps were delivered. Drones were dispatched to assist the more than 600 people in search of new vents in the cave roof.

29 June: Prayut Chan-o-cha, the Prime Minister of Thailand visited the site.

30 June: The search resumed after divers took advantage of the brief time when the rain had stopped. They advanced further, but still were far from where they believed the boys may be stranded.

1 July: As divers went deeper into the cave, they established a temporary operating base in which air tanks and other supplies were set up.

2 July: The football team were found alive in the evening by the British diving team, 400 m (1,300 ft) further than Pattaya Beach. around 20:20.

3 July: Seven divers, including a doctor and a nurse, joined the team in the cave. Food and medical supplies, including high calorie gels and paracetamol, were supplied to the boys.

4 July: The team were taught how to use a diving mask and breathing apparatus as rescue teams worked on pumping water from the cave.

5 July: The rescue was forced to move quicker due to expected rain. Another group searched the mountains for any new cracks or openings.

6 July: Saman Kunan, a former Thai navy diver and volunteer of the rescue mission, died between 1 am to 2 am local time while placing oxygen canisters underwater along the route to the stranded boys. Authorities urged that the rescue happen quicker, due to low oxygen levels.

7 July: The rescue chief claimed that it was not suitable for the team to dive yet. More than 100 vents were being drilled in an attempt to reach the team. A letter appeared from the coach of the team giving parents his apologies.

8 July: Thirteen divers went into the cave and led four of the boys to safety. The first boy was reported to have come out at around 5:40 pm (local time), and the fourth one was reported to have come out at around 7:50 pm, although other sources cited different times. The four boys were rushed to a nearby hospital. It is announced that divers will not resume the rescue for at least another 10 hours, as they need to replenish supplies.

9 July: Four more boys were confirmed to be out of the cave and taken to the hospital. It was also announced that the boys would be kept in quarantine.

See also

• 2010 Copiapó mining accident
• Beaconsfield Mine collapse
• Riesending cave rescue

External links

• Video of Thai cave rescue.
• Thai cave rescue – Ex-Navy SEAL interview (04:18; 4 July 2018; CNN-News) on YouTube