Thai cave rescue — TIMELINE

The football team coach Ekkapol Chantawong, who is 25 years old, has apologized to the boys’ parents in a note that he handed to the divers. They appear to be healthy and have sent video messages to their families. Don’t worry, I’m safe.

“I love you, Dad, Mum and my sister. You don’t need to be anxious about me”. “I promise to take the very best care of the kids”, he said in a note given to divers on Friday.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino wrote to the Thai soccer association (FAT) to invite the 12 boys and their coach to the World Cup final on July 15.

Phanumart Saengdee (Mik): Don’t worry about me.

The Thai Navy SEALs posted images of handwritten notes from the boys – aged 11 to 16 – in which they try to comfort their families and share a sense of optimism.

Mr Pairoj is one of over 100 farmers who are sacrificing their farmland to help the rescue bid.

“The third one, caring for them at the hospital, is the most easy one”.

“Please don’t worry, Dad and Mum, I’m only gone for two weeks”.

“Thank you for all the moral support and I apologise to the parents”.

A buddhist monk leads an honour guard carrying the coffin of Samarn Poonan, 38, a former member of Thailand’s elite navy SEAL unit who died working to save 12 boys and their soccer coach trapped inside a flooded cave, at Chiang Rai airport, Thailand, July 6, 2018.

“Dear aunty and granny, I’m doing well”. You don’t need to be anxious about me. And take care of yourself. Auntie, please tell grandma to make chilli paste and crackled pork.

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.

Conditions are “perfect” to evacuate a young football team from a flooded Thai cave in the coming days before fresh rains and a possible rise in carbon dioxide further imperil the group, the rescue mission chief said Saturday.

But one of those experienced divers, an ex-Thai navy diver, died during the rescue operations after running out of oxygen himself, proving how hard said rescue will be.

“As I’ve always pointed out, they went in from the entrance and should come out the same way”. But, he added, “we will have to continue our mission as planned”.

“No matter how much oxygen we have, we can not survive [too much carbon monoxide] because our blood will be toxic”.

One recovery strategy the rescuers have been pursuing includes fitting the group with full-face oxygen masks and accompanying them on a long, unsafe swim through the narrow, pitch-black tunnels. There were 18 promising ones, the deepest at 400m, but Narongsak was not sure if it would reach the boys. “We want to go straight home”, they wrote.

Different plans for various scenarios were mentioned and their feasibility analysed.

A farmer looks at his flooded farmland due to water drained from Tham Luang cave in Mae Sai district, Chiang Rai. “With love.” The name reference could be of a waiting relative. The only way to reach them was by navigating dark and tight passageways filled with muddy water and strong currents. But authorities said it remained unclear how long the boys would have to remain inside.

“When we get out of here, we want to eat many things. I love you all”, 13-year-old Panumas “Mick” Saengdee wrote. Tell my brother to be ready to bring me fried chicken.

Night, Peerapat Sompeangjai, 16: I love you dad, mom.