Thai boys write ‘don’t worry’ to parents as rescue operations continue

Rescue teams thrashed through dense forest hundreds of metres above a cave complex on Friday, searching for an alternative way to extract 12 boys and their soccer coach trapped inside for almost two weeks.

When the group never returned from the hike, Thai officials launched an extensive search-and-rescue operation involving more than 1,000 people, including specialists drafted from various nations such as Australia, China, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Rescue efforts since British divers found the team on Monday have focused on draining the flooded cave and teaching the boys “some of whom are as young as 11 and not competent swimmers” to attempt dives that would challenge expert cavers.

The province of Chiang Rai, northern Thailand, is forecast to be hit by a mixture of thunderstorms and heavy rain for at least the next five days, according to the Thai Meteorological Department.

The death of an experienced rescue diver in the cave system on Friday underlined the inherent risks in attempting to move the boys.

“Some (of the chimneys) are as deep as 400 metres. but they still can not find their location yet”, Narongsak Osottanakorn told reporters, adding the mission lacked the technology “to pinpoint where they are staying”.

But Osottanakorn said divers are delivering air tanks to the chamber where the team is stuck and opening them up.

Infantino wrote a letter to the Thai Football Association, offering the support of the footballing world before asking if the boys would like to accompany him to the coveted event.

Inside the cave, however, the boys and their coach remain in great spirits.

Growing global interest in the rescue has spurred help from countries such as Australia, Britain, China, Japan and the United States, among others. “Love you all”, a boy whose nickname is Mik wrote on a piece of paper brought to his family by Thai navy SEALs. The boys had moved 400 meters further in as the ledge had become covered by water.

The boys, 11 to 16, and their 25-year-old coach went exploring in the cave after a soccer game, when monsoon flooding cut off their escape and prevented rescuers from finding them for nearly 10 days.

The group entered the cave on 23 June and got trapped as floodwaters tore in.

The rescue plans involve navigating sections of the tunnels that are still flooded, some so narrow that carrying full scuba gear is hard.

Saman Gunan, 38, ran out of oxygen while helping with the rescue at Chaing Rai.

“They may have some belief that their techniques are effective for groundwater drainage, but anything that is not in the plan must be discussed with us first”, Narongsak told Thai media.

But an air line has been installed overnight to the cave where the group waits to be rescued.

Mik: Don’t worry about me, I miss everyone, grandpa, uncle/auntie, mum dad and brother/sister, love everyone. He also thanked worldwide experts who helped find the boys.

Despite the death, divers will continue to provide the soccer players with oxygen and the plan is still for the boys to swim out of the cave with divers. Outside the cave, the mother of one of the boys said she was “glad” for a glimpse of her son.

“I talk to (the families) everyday and they would like us to bring their kids out but I said it has to be minimum risk”. Suggestions have included teaching the boys how to dive, and waiting until the waters subside. Chiang Rai’s deputy governor said authorities prefer the diving option.

What happened to the Thai navy diver? “We originally thought the boys can stay safe inside the cave for quite some time but circumstances have changed. Everyone is a professional so we’re trying to put it away and avoid it happening again”, said the Finn, who is a long-term resident of Thailand.

However doctors have confirmed the boys are malnourished along with their 25 year-old coach, who sacrificed his scant food rations for the children.

“Love to Mum, Dad and my little brother”, reads one note from 15-year-old Phiphat Photi – who is better known as “Nick” – published along with the other letters given to a diver on Friday and released the next morning on the Thai Navy Seal Facebook page.

The football team are being taught how to dive, but are now not ready and the governor has said rescuers are delaying attempts to free them “because we would like the minimum risk”.