Missing Thai soccer boys and coach are found alive in cave, EVERYONE is out of the cave!

[katie01]

They will be kept on precautions and likely in Negative Air Flow rooms, which keep germs from entering the general hospital atmosphere. They may be dealing with germs from the cave that they don't know about, given that it's so rare to have this situation where they've been exposed to the cave atmosphere for so long, they just don't know. (Medics may have seen some evidence of, say, respiratory, or skin infections, as an example.) Parents will likely still be able to visit them in the rooms, but may have to wear gloves, gowns and masks, as will the staff, until diseases from the cave have been ruled out. Infectious disease practitioners are going to be kept very busy here, and challenged! (I have seen some cases over the years where they have found germs on patients and in the atmosphere they didn't even have names for, and that's just in our everyday world, not a cave!)

Yes, yesterday I saw this story about a woman who also survived being trapped in a cave in Thailand after her fiancé and fellow travelers were killed when the water rushed in. She was trapped for less than a day, and yet still had serious medical complications from whatever was in the water (Weil’s disease, a form of leptospirosis I believe?) https://www.myjoyonline.com/opinion...itish-survivor-of-past-thai-cave-disaster.php

 

[mummabear]

From stuff.co.nz.

"If Phra Pirun helps us, we might be able to do it very quickly," Narongsak said, again invoking the god of rain, who is widely revered in Thailand.

"But if Phra Pirun doesn't help, then it might be a little late."

I hope he doesn't mean it's too late to get them out at all

So far it has all been very positive news, after the navy diver died I was afraid it meant they had no hope, thankfully it has been successful thus far

 

[lovin'fl]

So it's like 7:34 am there and they are about to start, maybe, hopefully. This could be the last day. Please please please let it be over today. And I pray that everyone involved stay safe. Thinking I may pull an all nighter but if not, I can wake up to great news!!

 

[robinb]

So it's like 7:34 am there and they are about to start, maybe, hopefully. This could be the last day. Please please please let it be over today. And I pray that everyone involved stay safe. Thinking I may pull an all nighter but if not, I can wake up to great news!!

I think they keep on running out of oxygen so I don’t think they can get the rest of the 4 boys out, plus the coach, plus everyone else who is with them.

 

[lovin'fl]

I think they keep on running out of oxygen so I don’t think they can get the rest of the 4 boys out, plus the coach, plus everyone else who is with them.

Probably not. Though the Docs in there, the Seal team guys, can bring themselves out.

 

[Iowamomof4]

Probably not. Though the Docs in there, the Seal team guys, can bring themselves out.

They still need oxygen.

I haven't been watching news much (we don't have cable or satellite tv right now) but I don't understand why they're having so much trouble securing oxygen tanks for the rescue. I'd think any number of places would be happy to rush extra filled tanks to the site.

 

[robinb]

They still need oxygen.

I haven't been watching news much (we don't have cable or satellite tv right now) but I don't understand why they're having so much trouble securing oxygen tanks for the rescue. I'd think any number of places would be happy to rush extra filled tanks to the site.

Divers also have to bring the tanks in to where they are needed. I suspect that some of the auxiliary divers are staging the tanks while the ones who are shepherding the kids are resting.

 

[Imzadi]

Divers also have to bring the tanks in to where they are needed. I suspect that some of the auxiliary divers are staging the tanks while the ones who are shepherding the kids are resting.

Yes, I think this too. That was the job of the Seal that died. He spent so much time & energy bringing in the oxygen tanks for others, but forgot to check his own level. An ABC reported climbed & crawled through a neighboring cave, one that wasn't flooded. He said it is so grueling to get through, even without water. He was huffing & puffing, out of breath after only several minutes. The divers have to swim against the current going in, twist & crawl through the narrow tunnels, carrying their own oxygen tank, then lugging another, that they end up huffing & puffing from all the extra exertion and use up more oxygen than a normal dive of just swimming.

I feel bad for his dive buddy. He probably feels a lot of guilt. They are supposed to watch out for each other. While it's everyone's responsibility to watch the levels of their own tanks, I bet he probably thinks he should have asked when he changed his own tank. He went back for him when the Seal didn't follow him through one of the tunnels. He found him unconscious. Then he had to drag him, underwater through the narrow tunnels until he got to one of the above ground chambers where others in the rescue team were working, so they could do CPR.


It's also a 12 hour, round trip journey in one day. The Seal who died could also have been sleep deprived as well as psychically exhausted. People make simple mistakes when really exhausted. That could be why this rescue mission prioritizes rest for the rescuers, to make sure they stop and get a good amount of sleep, food & rest in between each rescue operation.

 

[bcla]

Divers also have to bring the tanks in to where they are needed. I suspect that some of the auxiliary divers are staging the tanks while the ones who are shepherding the kids are resting.

That why I was asking earlier about the possibility of using a hard air line to pump in air from outside the cave. I've since read that they've been trying to work one in simply to increase oxygen to the people still inside who might be suffering from low oxygen levels. However, I was thinking it might be useful since it's a practically unlimited supply of breathable air. They're trying to bring out kids who aren't skilled divers, so I thought it might buy them more time compared to trying to use tanks.

 

[Imzadi]

The ABC reporter also said, (which may or not be true, considering all the info that turns out to be incorrect,) that one of the reasons they have been going faster with the rescues is that 2 divers travel with each boy. There is one in front carrying the boy's oxygen tank. And one behind the boy. The boy is wearing a flotation life vest, so basically, all the diver behind does is gently push & guide the boy forward. The boy doesn't have to do anything except breathe for most of the journey.

There is a crew that's been jack-hammering a lot of the stalactites in the ceiling so the boys won't hit their heads. And they've been widening the narrower parts of tunnels. They've probably cleared a lot of the way, which has made the journeys somewhat easier.

 

[Imzadi]

I want to post a pic of the scuba mask the boys are wearing. It was chosen because it's designed in such a way to LEAST panic the boys.

It's called a full face mask. Unlike the ones we are used to seeing, that only cover the eyes, and usually fits very closely around the eyes, giving tunnel vision, these masks have a very wide, panoramic field of vision. So, even when the boys are going though those dark, murky, twisty, narrow tunnels, they can still see all around them. They don't have tunnel vision within the tunnels.

Also, the usual, regular oxygen piece is usually a separate piece that just fits over the mouth and a tube fits in the mouth to breathe through. What usually happens with most beginner divers just learning to dive is that the first few times underwater, that's when they panic and think they can't breathe. It's not NORMAL for them to be breathing through that tube thingie and think it will work. This mask, there's no tube the boys have to insert in the mouth. They can just breathe normally for the 6 hour trip as the rear diver is gently pushing them along.

And on the lower right side in the pic, you can see a communication device. If they do panic or need to communicate with the divers, they can.

 

[Shanti]

I want to post a pic of the scuba mask the boys are wearing. It was chosen because it's designed in such a way to LEAST panic the boys.

It's called a full face mask. Unlike the ones we are used to seeing, that only cover the eyes, and usually fits very closely around the eyes, giving tunnel vision, these masks have a very wide, panoramic field of vision. So, even when the boys are going though those dark, murky, twisty, narrow tunnels, they can still see all around them. They don't have tunnel vision within the tunnels.

Also, the usual, regular oxygen piece is usually a separate piece that just fits over the mouth and a tube fits in the mouth to breathe through. What usually happens with most beginner divers just learning to dive is that the first few times underwater, that's when they panic and think they can't breathe. It's not NORMAL for them to be breathing through that tube thingie and think it will work. This mask, there's no tube the boys have to insert in the mouth. They can just breathe normally for the 6 hour trip as the rear diver is gently pushing them along.

And on the lower right side in the pic, you can see a communication device. If they do panic or need to communicate with the divers, they can.

I'm sure that helps.

 

[Imzadi]

The full face mask is undoubtedly a big part of the success of these rescues. Even though I'm a swimmer, I have a hard time even snorkeling, because the mouth breathing triggers me to panic- I could never do scuba.

Yes, when I was in the Caribbean for vactation, the water was gorgeous. The shells I picked up while walking the beach were so unusual. People were snorkeling all around me. It was supposed to be so beautiful under the water. But, just looking at those snorkeling tubes sticking above the water, it gave me a panic. I can understand using them in a pool, with not moving water. But, in the ocean, the waves are going up & splashing over the snorkelers all the time. I just know I'd be trying to breathe in and instead breathe in a wave of ocean in my mouth instead. No WAY could I ever be scuba diving for 1 hour let alone 6 hours.

 

[robinb]

Yes, when I was in the Caribbean for vactation, the water was gorgeous. The shells I picked up while walking the beach were so unusual. People were snorkeling all around me. It was supposed to be so beautiful under the water. But, just looking at those snorkeling tubes sticking above the water, it gave me a panic. I can understand using them in a pool, with not moving water. But, in the ocean, the waves are going up & splashing over the snorkelers all the time. I just know I'd be trying to breathe in and instead breathe in a wave of ocean in my mouth instead. No WAY could I ever be scuba diving for 1 hour let alone 6 hours.

My DH and DD dive. They learned in Hawaii. I prefer to stay on the top of the water, thank you.

 

[Imzadi]

I found a simulated pic of what the rescue may look like. This one is by the BBC. According to ABC, the rear diver is much closer, pushing the boy along, so he doesn't have to exert energy swimming. The boy also has a life vest on. And much of the cave isn't that open & spacious in areas. This pic makes it look like a normal swim in a pool.

This one looks closer to what we've been told of the narrow, twisty caves:

This is from the South china Morning Post newspaper:

"Communication problems:
Real-time communication in a flooded cave is a big challenge. Electronic devices must remain dry and the dense rock restricts their range. However, the international team supporting the Thai authorities managed to come up with a simple but ingenious solution"​

THE SOLUTION:
The team inside the cave established a series of walkie talkies connected to each other over 4km, from just outside the cave, with a delay of less than half a second

 

[Imzadi]

ABC Niteline update:

A Thai health official just gave a press conference:

He says 2 of the 8 boys rescued & in the hospital have lung infections.

All 8 are being evaluated for physical & mental well-being. They are in good spirits.

4 of the boys are able to eat regular food, but nothing spicy.

They will all have to spend about 7 days in the hospital. However, he noted their immune system seems to have been boosted by playing soccer all those years.

 

[Imzadi]

Still an ABC Update (by Matt Guttman)

What the divers have had to navigate at every foray into the cave:

Reduced visibility inside the dark cave and under murky water.

A water current so strong it has ripped the masks right off the divers faces.

Narrow passages, some as tight as 15 inches. Walls as sharp as broken glass. They have to scoot on their butt or crawl through passages and under water.

The divers have often have to haul the boys through the tunnels, which is exhausting, while also wearing 30-60 lbs of scuba gear. (That also doesn't include their 6 hour journey into the end of the cave to the boys.)

One of the reasons they can't bring all the boys out at once is they are actually a huge support team of about 100 divers. They ALL go through the stockpiled oxygen in one day & then it has to be restocked in the cave for them the next day. The support team works as a long human relay from the end of the cave to the opening for the two rescue divers with the boys.

And it is so arduous getting each boy out, the divers need a rest.

(The Thai official said the first day that there are only 5 Thai rescue SEAL divers. (not the support team.) The other 13 rescue Seal divers are a team of international divers.) I think a Thai diver HAS to go with each boy as he may be the only one who speaks Thai. Plus, if something does happen to a boy, the Thai government probably wants to make sure one of their own divers was with him.

 

[DisneyMomx7]

3 more boys rescued this morning!!!

 

[jerseygal]

3 more boys rescued this morning!!!

Thank God! How many more to go, does anyone know? Praying!

 

[jerseygal]

Think there are 2 more to go! HOPING SOON!