The world is waiting with bated breath as rescue operations for the 12 trapped Thai boys along with their football coach is currently underway. Latest reports at the time of writing show that four boys were rescued on Sunday. Thai authorities say that the group are safe but did not elaborate further on their condition. Rescue efforts are expected to restart today after the mission had to be paused overnight for air tanks to be replaced.
How did this happen?
It is believed that the young boys and their coach are all members of the same football team. After football practice on 23 June, the boys and their coach went exploring in the Tham Luang caves as part of an initiation. The initiation involved going into the caves and writing their names on the cave walls.
One of the rescuers, Ben Reymenants told the media that the boys were “…wading in and trying to go to the end of the tunnel, sort of like an initiation for local young boys to… write your name on the wall and make it back."
Misfortune struck when heavy rain swept the area, causing a flash flood and blocking the entrance of the cave. To evade the rising waters, the group moved several kilometres inwards, trapping themselves further inside the cave. The group was only discovered after a nine-day search and rescue mission.
Prior to being found by the authorities, the group had been surviving by drinking water from the walls of the cave and managing without any food. After their discovery, rescuers provided them with medical supplies and food including fresh water and paracetamol.
In the hearts of many
The plight of the group has captured the hearts of many around the world. The World Cup may be ongoing but the thought of 12 trapped footballers is surely lingering at the back of the minds of most Thais and football fans.
Aside from the coach who is 25-years-old, the age group of the boys ranges from 11 to 17 years.
Ever since being discovered by the authorities, the group has passed hand-written notes assuring their loved ones of their safety. The letters are full of love, positivity and encouragement, a testament to the boys’ will and strength.
In one note, Panumas Sangdee, 13, wrote to his parents that the “Navy Seals are taking good care of me”. In another heart-wrenching note, Ekarat Wongsukchan told his parents not to worry and that he will soon be back working at his mum’s shop. “Afterwards I will go to help Mum sell things at the shop. I will hurry to go there,” the note said.
The story of the coach has also been just as remarkable. In his letter to the boy’s parents, he promised to “…take care of the kids as best as I can.” The coach is a former monk who lost his family as a young child. According to authorities on the ground, he has been instrumental to the groups’ survival. When the group was discovered, he was the weakest as he gave the boys his share of the limited food and water they had with them.
Sources: Various sources
Rescue efforts underway
Rescue efforts will resume today. The efforts on Sunday were described as “smooth”, however as more time passes by, the risks involved in rescuing the boys also grow. There is worry that oxygen levels at the place where the boys are trapped could suddenly fall. Also, reports are indicating that there could be more rain in the coming days. The water levels in the caves could rise making the mission much more difficult. So, authorities are racing against time to get the group out safely.
The Tham Luang cave system is complex and is filled with caverns and crevices. Some stretches are more than 10 metres high while others are so narrow that divers cannot pass through with their scuba tanks. The death of an experienced former navy diver while he was on a mission to supply the boys with oxygen tanks reveals the extreme danger associated with this mission.
As eight more boys and their coach wait to be saved, the world is keeping vigil for them. The efforts of those involved in the rescue mission have been nothing short of courageous and admirable, working around the clock and risking their lives to save others. For now, all we can do is wait and hope for the best.