Thailand - FOUND ALIVE - Officials Believe 12 Boys And Coach Trapped In Cave , 23 June 2018

[Suglo]

From BCRC (British Cave Rescue Council) media briefing note 5 July:

"Yesterday, our officers concentrated their combined efforts to support our colleagues overseas. On around 07:00h BST (UK) time, Wednesday, a request was made from our team in Thailand and the Thai authorities, to send out additional personnel and equipment."

"Last night and later this morning, five key cave rescuers will travel from the UK to Thailand. Some are divers, others will perform a co-ordinating, surface control function."

"At this time, we are not able to give any specific updates on matters underground in Thailand. We are aware of a new initiative to divert streams and rivers from any inlets identified above the cave (sinks and fissures) to reduce the underground water flow rate. This is established practice in cave rescue and has proven effective in cave rescue efforts associated with other river caves, not least for Ogof Ffynnon Ddu (OFD) main streamway in South Wales when cavers become trapped underground during flood. At Tham Luang Nang Non Cave, surface searches continue for alternative routes in to the cave."

Tham Luang Nang Non Cave, Thailand – Update – British Cave Rescue Council

Some of the other press releases they have done have valuable information such as this survey image of the cave. I hadn’t seen this before.

 

[Hatfield]

My thoughts too.
I wonder how large the area is where they are stranded and where they go to relieve themselves. They were fasting for nine days so this wasn't a problem then, but now that they started eating again they will have to go.

JMO
I am guessing that the reported stomach issues on a couple of the boys are probably from drinking the cave water before rescuers came with supplies.

Giardia and other bacteria can grow in any streams or cave water. There are all sorts of contaminants that can cause the water in the cave to be bad. Even if none of them went to the bathroom in the cave you have bat droppings and other ways that the water would not be safe to drink without boiling it first.

Their health is another reason I would be more inclined to try and dive them out. I am thinking more along the lines of the rescuers doing most of the work to pull and push them out by their hands and feet and the boy not having to do much of anything but breath. I know I am simplifying it but time is of the essence and I am really afraid things are going to get worse unless they start to remove the ones that are ready and want to give it a try.

If they can even get one out then the others will know it is doable and I think the others will be ready to go too. The longer they wait the worse their mental state and physical state is going to get. Its not like they can do much working out in that cave to get their physical strength back. I am thinking they are about as strong as they are going to get once they get food and energy back which should be close by now.

 

[margarita25]

I saw on TV one time these people go into a cave in Jamaica and there were millions of cockroaches everywhere. Bats too. And rats too maybe?

 

[creepcrusher]

I saw on TV one time these people go into a cave in Jamaica and there were millions of cockroaches everywhere. Bats too. And rats too maybe?

There are bats in this cave too. I went into a wet CLEAR water cave at the Riviera Maya in Mexico and there were bats everywhere. I can't even imagine being in pitch black, mud water with the bats!

 

[Hatfield]

There are bats in this cave too. I went into a wet CLEAR water cave at the Riviera Maya in Mexico and there were bats everywhere. I can't even imagine being in pitch black, mud water with the bats!

JMO
If a bat is in the cave I would become an expert diver, sky diver, Astranought, etc. in record time to get out.

 

[JDG]

JMO
I am guessing that the reported stomach issues on a couple of the boys are probably from drinking the cave water before rescuers came with supplies.

Giardia and other bacteria can grow in any streams or cave water. There are all sorts of contaminants that can cause the water in the cave to be bad. Even if none of them went to the bathroom in the cave you have bat droppings and other ways that the water would not be safe to drink without boiling it first.

Their health is another reason I would be more inclined to try and dive them out. I am thinking more along the lines of the rescuers doing most of the work to pull and push them out by their hands and feet and the boy not having to do much of anything but breath. I know I am simplifying it but time is of the essence and I am really afraid things are going to get worse unless they start to remove the ones that are ready and want to give it a try.

If they can even get one out then the others will know it is doable and I think the others will be ready to go too. The longer they wait the worse their mental state and physical state is going to get. Its not like they can do much working out in that cave to get their physical strength back. I am thinking they are about as strong as they are going to get once they get food and energy back which should be close by now.

They were drinking fresh rainwater from the cracks in the caves walls.
Doesn't mean its without bacteria but it shouldn't be too bad. That's what kept them alive.

 

[enelram]

Thai academic 'expert' says draining the cave is an "Impossible
Mission".
Draining cave water a sisyphean task, says expert - The Nation

 

[JDG]

JMO
If a bat is in the cave I would become an expert diver, sky diver, Astranought, etc. in record time to get out.

LOL But you're not 11 - 16 and have probably been submerged in water at least once.

 

[Elainera]

I think that graphic is from a few days ago. There was another one today, posted previously somewhere, where it showed a completely dry walkable stretch between Pataya Beach and Monk's Junction. But I don't know how accurate that is either. Lots of conflicting accounts of the situation (the article I just posted above for example said that between Chamber 3 and Pattaya Beach is ALL dive, nothing walkable).

Quoting myself because I found the graphic I remembered which shows a walkable stretch. I had downloaded it before but now I don't know anymore from where, so no source.

 

[Eevee Pie]

Shows graphic of path boys will have to take;

ThairathTV on Twitter

That is so unbelievably terrifying.

 

[creepcrusher]

It is currently Friday, 3:30 AM in Thailand. The rescue is coming. IMO within the next 24 hrs. Pray Pray Pray that this will go smoother than expected!

 

[bluedivergirl]

They were drinking fresh rainwater from the cracks in the caves walls.
Doesn't mean its without bacteria but it shouldn't be too bad. That's what kept them alive.

These boys probably have better immune systems than hand-sanitizing US peeps.

 

[SugarQueen]

I was terrified just watching that graphic! Knowing the boys were found alive but may not make it out alive is horrifying. Hoping for a miracle.

 

[enelram]

Oh I'm getting very concerned also. Here's why:

If we believe the govenor who says they are draining the cave
at a rate of 1 cm. per hour, that's .3937 inches or in 24 hours,
they would drain down the water 9.4488 inches. Don't know if
that allows for water draining in through the underground
cracks and streams from rain.
So at 9 inches per day of draw down, will this be enough and
quickly enough to get them out without diving. Remember more
heavy rains predicted on Sunday. Surely they haven't diverted
all the incoming and underground streams.
I'd really like to hear from their engineer computing this to see if their plan is feasible. Or are they just crossing their fingers and
hoping for the best. ??

 

[Hatfield]

It is currently Friday, 3:30 AM in Thailand. The rescue is coming. IMO within the next 24 hrs. Pray Pray Pray that this will go smoother than expected!

I am definitely keeping everyone there in my prayers. I hope you are right because I am really concerned about the rain coming.

If anyone has ever watched how the guttering takes rain off the roof of a house then you get a feeling of how much water a mountain can produce into that cave. The sheer surface area of the mountain will cause tremendous amounts of water to seep into the cave system. Also the water table in that mountain may be contributing to the water so even if they divert streams I am not sure how effective it will be once the hard rains come.

I hope and pray they can get them out before the heavy rains start.

 

[Elainera]

Well they said 5 hours per boy to get them to safety. So 13 times 5 is 65 hours (taking them one by one), that would mean if they start tomorrow (Friday) morning at 6 it would take until Sunday 11pm, if nothing goes wrong. That means they have missed the window of no or only little rain they had this week.

 

[Elainera]

It's really too bad they haven't found an air shaft that could be used to get them up and out.

 

[Gunslinging Granny]

I wish they were establishing backup rescue plans. It takes weeks to set up a drilling rig.

 

[creepcrusher]

Oh I'm getting very concerned also. Here's why:

If we believe the govenor who says they are draining the cave
at a rate of 1 cm. per hour, that's .3937 inches or in 24 hours,
they would drain down the water 9.4488 inches. Don't know if
that allows for water draining in through the underground
cracks and streams from rain.
So at 9 inches per day of draw down, will this be enough and
quickly enough to get them out without diving. Remember more
heavy rains predicted on Sunday. Surely they haven't diverted
all the incoming and underground streams.
I'd really like to hear from their engineer computing this to see if their plan is feasible. Or are they just crossing their fingers and
hoping for the best. ??

Do they really have until Sunday (Thailand time) before the monsoon hits? I thought it was expected to hit Saturday? I hope they have an extra day.

 

[enelram]

Well they said 5 hours per boy to get them to safety. So 13 times 5 is 65 hours (taking them one by one), that would mean if they start tomorrow (Friday) morning at 6 it would take until Sunday 11pm, if nothing goes wrong. That means they have missed the window of no or only little rain they had this week.

I'm guessing they would take more than one at a time- IF they
have enough expert divers to assist the boys. I'm picturing 2
divers helping each boy and behind them another 2 divers and another boy and on and on depending on the number of expert divers. Maybe for safety reasons they wouldn't want to stack
more than one boy until the way is clear. Just in case they
have a problem (panic or exhaustion).