Thailand: Downpours hinder rescue of trapped football team
The rescue of 12 teenager football players and their coach who were found alive after being trapped in a cave in Thailand for 10 days is coming up against difficulties due to weather conditions and their health.
Rescuers seek way to approach the position where the trapped football team shelter (Source: CNN)Bangkok (VNA) – The rescue of 12 teenager football players and their coach who were found alive after being trapped in a cave in Thailand for 10 days is coming up against difficulties due to weather conditions and their health.
Heavy rains which are forecast to pour into Thailand’s Chiang Rai province on July 4 and last in the next three-four weeks might raise the water level in Tham Luang cave and pose more challenges to the rescue team.
Thai officials said that on July 3 night, rescuers brought the boys and their coach to a safer place in the cave. They have been provided with sufficient food and medicine.
At present, there are three methods to bring them out: training them in diving skills, drilling through the cave roof, and draining water out of the cave. However, all of them are facing a lot of challenges.
According to the chief of the Thai Navy SEAL, bringing the team out of the cave in a short time is infeasible as their health is exhausted, so they cannot swim four kilometres constantly in the cave where the terrain is tough and it takes professional divers six hours to reach.
In addition, Thailand is in the rainy season which lasts until November. Rains are lifting up the water level in the cave, so much time is needed for the drainage.
Experts estimate that the position of the football team is about 800-1,000m underground. Therefore, it is also difficult to drill through the cave roof.
However, authorities affirmed that they will try their best to bring the team out as safe as possible.
Currently, seven soldiers of the Thai Navy SEAL, including doctors, volunteer to stay in the cave to ensure the best health for the stranded team.
The boys, who are between 11 and 16 and are members of the Wild Boars soccer team, had been exploring the cave network with their soccer coach on June 23, when heavy seasonal rains flooded the cave's entrance, forcing the group further and further into the labyrinth of tunnels in search of high ground.
Located in the Khun Nam Nang Non Forest Park, Tham Luang cave is an adventure tourism destination in Thailand. It is often closed during the rainy season from July to December. Visitors are allowed to enter maximum 700m deep into the cave.-VNA
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