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Thailand cave rescue: officials confirm rescue operation has begun – live Thailand cave rescue: officials confirm rescue operation has begun – live
(35 minutes later)
Officials have not confirmed whether the boys would need to dive during the mission, but have suggested that much of the route can be walked.
“Although there are some slightly difficult parts that we have to bend or crawl [in] we can say that we can just walk through,” Narongsak Osatanakorn, former governor of Chiang Rai province, who is heading up the rescue operation said of conditions in the cave.
“We have done extremely well as yesterday we were able to reduce the water level by 30cm, the record of what we’ve achieved.”
However, the governor was asked directly if the boys would need to dive and declined to answer, saying only that most of the path would be walkable.
The governor said that preparations, which have been ongoing for most of the last week, stepped up last night as conditions improved.
“At 9pm last night we started clearing many things because we have reached the peak point of readiness,” he said.
“The meaning of readiness is ... perfect weather, water [levels] and the kids’ readiness, physical and mental,” he said.
“There is no time limit for the operation,” the governor said.
“It depends on the weather, it depends on the water levels. If something changes we’ll stop. But I expect the operation to finish within the next couple of days.”
Michael Safi was at the press conference that has just concluded and has this full report about what was said there.
Eighteen divers have entered a northern Thailand cave on Sunday morning to retrieve 12 boys and their football coach who have been stranded in a cave for more than two weeks.
The rescue operation commenced around 10am local time and the soonest any boy will be freed is 9pm, said Narongsak Osatanakorn, former governor of Chiang Rai province, who is heading up the rescue operation.
They will be removed one-by-one and the operation could continue until at least tomorrow.
The team includes 13 international divers and five Thai navy Seals. “We can say they are all international all stars involved in this diving operation and we selected five of our best who can work with them,” Osatanakorn said.
The boys and their families had been informed. “Their health and their minds are ready and they all have knowledge of the mission,” he said. “They’re ready to go out.”
He said the 1.5km path from the cave entrance to the “third chamber” that has been a staging ground for the operation was not completely dry but mostly walkable. “Yesterday the water levels were the lowest they had been,” Osatanakorn said.
He would not say whether the boys would need to dive at all in the 1.7km journey from where they are sheltering to the third chamber.
The press conference has now finished.
The operation could take three to four days, said an army spokesperson and the mission “depends on the weather”.
Despite this, the governor reported that all of the 12 boys and their coach are “very ready” to come out.
The governor will not confirm if the boys have to dive out of the caves, which has been a point of concern in the planning of the rescue.
The governor just said that today is the best day to attempt the journey “because most of the path is walkable”.
He won't say if the boys have to dive - just says today is best day because most of path is walkable #ThamLuangCave @MsKateLyons
The governor has said that the 13 international divers who will go in to the cave to rescue the boys are “all stars.”
“And we selected five of our best who can work with them,” he said.
It was previously reported that having Thai-speaking divers whom the boys have a bond with was going to be key to the rescue operation.
We can say they are all international all stars involved in this diving operation and we selected five of our best who can work with them, governor says #ThamLuangCave @MsKateLyons
An Australian doctor assessed the boys last night and gave them the all-clear, said the governor. Once they are out of the cave they will choose the most suitable way to move them and have helicopters on standby in case they are needed.
A spokesman is speaking now and said they had been aided by lower-than-expected rainfall.A spokesman is speaking now and said they had been aided by lower-than-expected rainfall.
The governor said the earliest the boys would come out was 9pm tonight, due to the long journey from where they are located and the entrance, and they cannot guarantee the mission will be completed today, because the boys will all come out gradually.The governor said the earliest the boys would come out was 9pm tonight, due to the long journey from where they are located and the entrance, and they cannot guarantee the mission will be completed today, because the boys will all come out gradually.
The rescue mission has begun, the governor has confirmed at a press conference this morning.The rescue mission has begun, the governor has confirmed at a press conference this morning.
18 divers have been sent into the caves to retrieve the 12 boys and their football coach. The 13 people inside the cave have been informed and are ready and their families have been informed.18 divers have been sent into the caves to retrieve the 12 boys and their football coach. The 13 people inside the cave have been informed and are ready and their families have been informed.
Medical teams have been rehearsing for three days and are ready to treat the group when they emerge.Medical teams have been rehearsing for three days and are ready to treat the group when they emerge.
The governor said that the factors affecting the readiness for any rescue attempt are the weather, the water, and the readiness of the team the condition of the boys.The governor said that the factors affecting the readiness for any rescue attempt are the weather, the water, and the readiness of the team the condition of the boys.
“Today is the peak of our readiness,” said Narongsak.“Today is the peak of our readiness,” said Narongsak.
It is possible for divers to advance to the third chamber on foot. It’s not dry but it’s the lowest the water level has been, said the governor.It is possible for divers to advance to the third chamber on foot. It’s not dry but it’s the lowest the water level has been, said the governor.
At 10am, 18 divers entered the cave – 13 international divers and five Thai divers.
“Today is the peak of our readiness,” said Narongsak Osottanakorn, a former provincial governor who is leading the rescue efforts.
The official also said that no shafts found by search teams in the jungle have potential, ruling out drilling as a possible way to rescue the boys.
“I can confirm we will wait until we are 100% ready until we start the action,” said the official.
The press conference has begun and officials have thanked the media for their cooperation, saying they need space to work.
“We will still maintain our planned mission and the two main obstacles are time and water,” the spokesperson said.
Michael Safi and Veena Thoopkrajae are standing by for the press conference, waiting to hear what officials have to say about this morning’s dramatic events.
Waiting for first official word on dramatic morning #ThamLuangCave @MsKateLyons pic.twitter.com/HFP0A4kOOb
In case you haven’t seen it, the boys and their parents, who have been unable to communicate for more than two weeks, have exchanged letters with one another, carried by navy divers.
“To all the kids,” one letter, written by the mother of Nattawut Takamsai, 14, said. “We are not mad at you at all. Do take good care of yourself. Don’t forget to cover yourself with blankets as the weather is cold. We’re worried. You will come out soon.”
She wrote to Ekkapol Chantawong, the coach: “We want you to know that no parents are angry with you at all, so don’t you worry about that.”
In their notes the children have said they want to go home as soon as they are out of the cave, that they are strong and not to worry about them. Many also placed requests for their favourite meals when they get out of the cave.
One boy told his parents: “Don’t worry, I’m fine. Please tell Yod to take me out to a fried chicken shop.”
Our stories on those letters are here and here:
For our full guide to where the boys are and how they might be rescued, click here.
A reminder of where the boys are and the difficulty of the rescue mission.
Though rescuers have been able to clear a huge amount of water out of the cave system, meaning it is possible to wade through the first 1.5km of the cave, parts of the journey are still treacherous and it is an 11-hour round trip for experienced adult divers.
On Saturday another 10 members of the rescue mission – part of a team assigned to explore the mountain to look for chimneys that might lead to the cave – were injured when a car they were travelling in fell off a cliff.
AFP reports their injuries were not believed to be serious, though blogger Richard Barrow, who is in Thailand, wrote one person was believed to be “badly injured”.
There are obviously serious concerns for the safety of all rescuers, especially in light of the tragic death of Saman Kunan, the former Thai navy Seal diver, on Friday.
Some bad news from the #ThamLuang rescue site. A vehicle carrying rescue workers has crashed, badly injuring one person. In addition it has just started to rain heavily. Which is very bad news for the trapped boys #Thailand pic.twitter.com/koayH0fdzZ