Great news about the boy soccer players.

[frequent]

I have been watching this story and praying for the kids.

I'm sure you're not alone in that

[Oliver2]

Euphoria quickly gave way to concern when the difficulties of extracting these children from the cave became apparent. The best news I've seen today is that there is now hope that they can be freed by pumping out a lot of the water, allowing them to walk. Previously this was deemed implausible. The alternatives- learning to dive and waiting for months for the waters to recede- seem unpalatable.

[bkkguy]

In view of the subject matter it would be entirely appropriate for us to avoid any in-fighting, bitching, jokes or risque comments. Let's keep it a serious discussion out of respect to the boys and their families.

maybe we should just follow the Thai way of showing "respect to the boys and their families" - the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) have already announced plans to turn the place into a major tourist attraction:

Disaster cave to be next tourist attraction - Bangkok Post 4 July

bkkguy

[snotface]

Regarding getting them out, these are tough Thai kids, they will view being drug thru the dark mud water with a harness and rope to follow to the surface in diving gear as a great rush. They will love it.

That sounds like wishful thinking to me. As I understand it, if parts of the tunnel are still flooded when a rescue is attempted, it will be a very dangerous operation - tricky enough for skilled, experienced divers let alone teenage boys, one only 11, who cannot swim and are probably in poor physical and mental shape. The best hope, as Oliver says, is if they have time to lower the water level to a point where diving is not required. Who knows if that will be possible.

[a447]

A report on CNN tonight said it takes the experienced cave divers 11 hours (!) to mske a return trip into the cave.

Having them scuba dive to safety hardly seems to be an option.

With so many experts on the ground they'll surely find a more realistic solution.

One can only hope so.

[poshglasgow]

I have been watching this story and praying for the kids. I am very happy. Regarding getting them out, these are tough Thai kids, they will view being drug thru the dark mud water with a harness and rope to follow to the surface in diving gear as a great rush. They will love it.

I really do hope that they gain something positive from this. To be dragged through the water in the dark would terrify me but I am sure that the boys will realise that the professionals, in whose safe hands they depend, will offer them the best possible chance of being reunited with their families.

As one newspaper highlighted yesterday, when it comes to an emergency the British are in the front line of international aid and rescue. Make you proud, at these moments, to be British - because we do care!

[poshglasgow]

https://gizmodo.com/a-daring-plan-to...-st-1827345522

This is an excellent report, dab69, with some very clear photos. The standard of journalism is the best I've seen anywhere on this story. It sums up the situation brilliantly. Thank you for sharing.

[arsenal]

.Poshglasgow wrote.
"As one newspaper highlighted yesterday, when it comes to an emergency the British are in the front line of international aid and rescue. Make you proud, at these moments, to be British - because we do care!"

Here here. Well said that man.

[frequent]

I really do hope that they gain something positive from this. To be dragged through the water in the dark would terrify me but I am sure that the boys will realise that the professionals, in whose safe hands they depend, will offer them the best possible chance of being reunited with their families.

Realising something intellectually and experiencing it is two different things. Prisoners being waterboarded probably realise they are being tortured not killed, but it doesn't stop the terror. None of them can swim. I have a morbid fear of drowning so I'm less optimistic about the success of getting every single one of them out alive if they're going to be "swum" out. At least one section of the cave through which they must pass is wholly flooded. As well, think of the impact on those who remain as their friends depart, one by one. Apparently there are two boys and the coach who are weaker than the rest because of the days with little or no food, whose chances of surviving a diving experience is much lower

[frequent]

Here's an assessment of the difficulties involved in getting the boys out safely via scuba diving equipment - https://www.newscientist.com/article...to-scuba-dive/