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

[CarolAnn856]

That part I KNOW is difficult. I was reacting to the "it got wet and didn't work" part.

That really didn't come across in your post. Even so, it isn't hard to imagine that the two processes are very different.

As an update, this article states that it was "the equipment" that got too wet, not the cables themselves.

 

[Maguiver]

I am not there and don't know most of the infrastructure but how hard can it be to pump out the cave? The whole world is watching. We have some pretty big pumps that can be flown in.

 

[CarolAnn856]

I am not there and don't know most of the infrastructure but how hard can it be to pump out the cave? The whole world is watching. We have some pretty big pumps that can be flown in.

According to this article, they have already pumped out 30 million gallons of water. I think a lot of people aren't understanding the magnitude of the length and depth of this cave system. It's just massive.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

According to this article, they have already pumped out 30 million gallons of water. I think a lot of people aren't understanding the magnitude of the length and depth of this cave system. It's just massive.

I underestimated:

”The 2.5-mile journey through winding, flooded passages would normally be navigable by only the most experienced divers.”

 

[Imzadi]

This is the latest I saw on ABC news:

A fresh batch of divers has come in. It takes 6 hours for one experienced diver to get all the way in. That is 12 hours round trip for one diver to go in & come back out at the end of a day. That is not including the hours of work they do once they are inside.

There are approximately 110 people working on this now, between reservists, active duty navy seals, doctors, psychologists and other types of workers.

Fresh oxygen is being pumped in to where the boys are. Since the area they are in is cut off by water, they in an air pocket. So they want to make sure the boys aren't just breathing & recirculating their own air.

Street construction-type jack hammers have been brought in, which are cutting long trenches along the cave floor. Then they lay pipes in the trenches to drain the water away into a dam they are building outside. That has been channeling the water away much faster than just using the many pumps they also have.

They are really hoping to get the water down below the neck level of the height of an average man. This way, they can put the boys each on rafts and float them relay race style along from one guy to another. A dozen or so life vests were shown being carried in.

They are really hoping to do this soon as more rain is expected in the next 24 hours.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

This is the latest I saw on ABC news:

A fresh batch of divers has come in. It takes 6 hours for one experienced diver to get all the way in. That is 12 hours round trip for one diver to go in & come back out at the end of a day. That is not including the hours of work they do once they are inside.

There are approximately 110 people working on this now, between reservists, active duty navy seals, doctors, psychologists and other types of workers.

Fresh oxygen is being pumped in to where the boys are. Since the area they are in is cut off by water, they in an air pocket. So they want to make sure the boys aren't just breathing & recirculating their own air.

Street construction-type jack hammers have been brought in, which are cutting long trenches along the cave floor. Then they lay pipes in the trenches to drain the water away into a dam they are building outside. That has been channeling the water away much faster than just using the many pumps they also have.

They are really hoping to get the water down below the neck level of the height of an average man. This way, they can put the boys each on rafts and float them relay race style along from one guy to another. A dozen or so life vests were shown being carried in.

They are really hoping to do this soon as more rain is expected in the next 24 hours.

I also read they have 13 ambulances at the site, on standby. And some of the boys' families have chosen to stay nearby, as have a lot of volunteers who are cooking for the rescuers and other personnel. Despite the tragic nature of the circumstances, it's so nice to see such a collaborative humanitarian effort from everyone, even internationally.

 

[Shanti]

I think they're going to have to swim the boys out one by one. I know that will be hard, but I just don't foresee anything else working. I don't think those boys can hold out for 4 months there. The risk of an unexpected water rise is too great, and the damage to the boys' mental health after 4 months in that little wet cave, wondering each day if they will live or die, would be extreme.

 

[sonnyjane]

Eek. One of the divers has died. Doesn’t bode well for having the kids swim out. https://www.yahoo.com/news/thai-authorities-navy-seal-working-rescue-boys-trapped-023522036.html

 

[Imzadi]

Eek. One of the divers has died. Doesn’t bode well for having the kids swim out. https://www.yahoo.com/news/thai-authorities-navy-seal-working-rescue-boys-trapped-023522036.html

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Eek. One of the divers has died. Doesn’t bode well for having the kids swim out. https://www.yahoo.com/news/thai-authorities-navy-seal-working-rescue-boys-trapped-023522036.html

Omg. I was actually thinking/wondering/worried that there might be loss of life here from some of the people involved. This will probably devastate them. Ugh. Praying they can carry on with their mission despite this tragic setback. They do have to so careful, though.

 

[robinb]

Oh no! I just read that. Cave diving is very dangerous on many levels. My husband is a caver (and a diver, but not at the same time) and gets the National speleological society magazine every month. They have a page about deaths in caves to drive home safety. Most of the deaths are from cave diving.

I think that this really will make people rethink taking non divers out of the cave when an experienced diver can mess up and die.

 

[Imzadi]

I think they're going to have to swim the boys out one by one. I know that will be hard, but I just don't foresee anything else working. I don't think those boys can hold out for 4 months there. The risk of an unexpected water rise is too great, and the damage to the boys' mental health after 4 months in that little wet cave, wondering each day if they will live or die, would be extreme.

Granted, this wasn't said by anyone in charge, but someone there that a reporter interviewed, who said that although they are teaching the kids to swim & scuba dive, they really really don't want to go that route. Six hours underwater is a long time to be traveling. Some of the route is very narrow & twisty tunnels and DARK. The only way way to get though is by sliding through on one's side, twisting to get the equipment through.

They are worried about the physical & emotional stress to the kids. But also, if one panics & becomes claustophobic in one of the dark tunnels, he may literally freeze in terror. He could get trapped there. It could get very dangerous trying to push or pull him though one of those twisty places. What if his oxygen mask came off? Or he got pulled away from his tank, etc.

I also think it would be foolhardy to leave them there for 4 months. It would also mean divers doing 12 hour round trips to and from them every day. The post above showed that one person died already.

They are already tearing up the floor of the cave. So, it doesn't look like anyone cares about preserving the natural environment of the cave. I think, even if the rains start, they will just keep tearing away at the cave until they can get the water low enough to get the kids out.

 

[Imzadi]

Omg. I was actually thinking/wondering/worried that there might be loss of life here from some of the people involved. This will probably devastate them. Ugh. Praying they can carry on with their mission despite this tragic setback. They do have to so careful, though.

I hope no one tells the kids or coach until they are safely out. That so wouldn't be good for them to find out about right now.

 

[Imzadi]

They have a page about deaths in caves to drive home safety. Most of the deaths are from cave diving.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I actually took care of a patient who had died in an underwater cave. He was very fortunate, his friends got him out and resuscitated him. Turned out he had a heart defect that he didn't know about. Doctors told him he shouldn't dive anymore but he wanted to, so he elected to have his heart repaired so he could. I can't imagine, but those who do it seem to love it, and know the risks. Glad they have them on hand now. They're heros.

I hope no one tells the kids or coach until they are safely out. That so wouldn't be good for them to find out about right now.

I agree. I was thinking more along the line of all the divers and rescuers in general.

 

[Imzadi]

I think that this really will make people rethink taking non divers out of the cave when an experienced diver can mess up and die.

I agree. I was thinking more along the line of all the divers and rescuers in general.

This shows these 12 hour round trips may just be too much for the experienced divers, long term.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

This shows these 12 hour round trips may just be too much for the experienced divers, long term.

I read somewhere in order to pass through some of the tight spaces, divers actually have to take off their oxygen tanks and push them through first, then get them back on. That's probably a disaster waiting to happen every single time they're taken off, and it could be in multiple locations along the route. Tubing caught on a sharp rock? Whoops, line is cut! (Of course I have no idea how tanks actually operate, but this is how I imagine it - there's got to be a line, right?)

 

[Pea-n-Me]

More about the diver who died, personally.

He'd actually left the Navy, but came back to volunteer for the rescue efforts. The ultimate sacrifice.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-44734385

"Petty Officer Saman Gunan lost consciousness on his way out of the Tham Luang cave complex, where he had been delivering supplies.

"His job was to deliver oxygen. He did not have enough on his way back," said an official.

He was brought out by his dive buddy but could not be revived.

PO Saman Gunan had left the navy but returned to help the rescue operation.

Said to be an avid runner and cyclist, he was part of a massive rescue operation launched after the group found themselves stranded in the Tham Luang cave by flooding.

"Inside the cave is tough," Thai Seal commander Rear Adm Arpakorn Yookongkaew told reporters. "On the way back from setting up oxygen bottles, Petty Officer First Class Gunan passed out."

"His buddy tried to give him first aid, but he did not respond. We brought him to chamber three and gave him another round of first aid, but he remained unconscious. So we took him to the hospital."

But he said the search operation would go on.

"I can guarantee that we will not panic, we will not stop our mission, we will not let the sacrifice of our friend go to waste."

Around 1,000 people are involved in the rescue operations, including navy divers, military personnel and civilian volunteers.

PO Gunan's death has underscored the dangers behind the search efforts."

 

[kimblebee]

Elon Musk is heading over to Thailand to see if he can help.

He has an idea of inflatable
Tunes that can be put into the caves to keep everyone dry while they travel through the caves. Hopefully something gets figured out.

 

[CarolAnn856]

Elon Musk is heading over to Thailand to see if he can help.

He has an idea of inflatable
Tunes that can be put into the caves to keep everyone dry while they travel through the caves. Hopefully something gets figured out.

That's actually a great idea, but with how twisty and jagged the path is, I don't know if it's realistic. But if anyone would know about materials that could make that work, it would be him.