Spelunking

June 23, 2018,  twelve boys from a soccer team in Thailand decided to go exploring with their assistant coach. They had explored this cave before

They went further than before. Then rainwater filled some of the passages in the cave and the boys had to go even further looking for a safe place.

They found a higher place and waited for the water to go down so they could get out and go home. But the water did not go down. They were stranded.

After 10 days divers finally located the boys. They were hungry but the coach did his best to keep up their spirits. He had a small amount of food in his backpack which he doled out to the boys.

The dilemma now was to get them safely out. The passage is treacherous. Besides being under water in many places too large for even experienced swimmers to safely navigate the rock is extremely sharp. Most of the boys did not know how to swim.

The oxygen levels were getting lower and lower. The rescuers were bringing in oxygen, food, and safe water. It just was not in large amounts.

Then came the rain clouds. It is becoming monsoon season in Thailand. Heavy rains would fill the tunnels that rescuers had been pumping out to reduce water levels.

A Thai Navy SEAL diver lost his life when his oxygen supply ran out.

The rescuers were giving the stranded boys a crash course in breathing through a mask under water. Something it takes a long time for most divers to learn.

All the options were considered. It was decided to bring them out with 2 experienced divers for each boy.  It is an hours-long trek from their little place of safety in the cave to the mouth of the cave.

Medical personnel were waiting to administer immediate treatment and precursory examination before the boys were transported to a hospital. Ambulances and helicopters waited at the ready.

Finally Sunday 4 of them were rescued and are now in the hospital. Monday 4 more are safe. There are five of them left.

Oxygen supplies along the cave need to be replenished and the divers need to sleep.

I would love to awaken tomorrow to learn that the rest are all safely out. Officials are saying not until Wednesday at the earliest.

The monsoon rains still threaten. I hope they hold off until every little soul is out of there.