Expert: Many challenges ahead for Thai rescuers in flooded cave

A leading American cave rescue expert said many challenges are ahead for rescue divers in Thailand who located the 12 boys and their soccer coach, who had been missing in a cave for more than a week.

Anmar Mirza, the US National Cave Rescue Commission coordinator, said the primary decision now is whether to try to evacuate the boys or to supply them in place.

He said “supplying them on site may face challenges depending on how difficult the dives are. Trying to take non-divers through a cave is one of the most dangerous situations possible, even if the dives are relatively easy.”

He said that “if the dives are difficult then supply will be difficult, but the risk of trying to dive them out is also exponentially greater.”

Rescuers located the boys, aged 11 to 16, and their 25-year-old coach alive deep inside the partially flooded Tham Luang Nang Non cave in northern Thailand late Monday. They disappeared when flooding trapped them after entering the cave on June 23.

Thailand’s prime minister has thanked international experts and rescuers who helped find the boys.

Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha’s office said the leader “wishes to thank the tremendous efforts of all international units that have come to assist the Thai authorities in rescuing the youth football team that was stuck in the caves in Chiang Rai. The Royal Thai Government and the Thai people are grateful for this support and cooperation, and we all wish the team a safe and speedy recovery.”

Chiang Rai Gov. Narongsak Osatanakorn earlier said the 13 individuals were being rescued.

However, he also said:”We found them safe. But the operation isn’t over.” /kga