12 boys lost in flooded Thai cave

[Compressor]

Let's all hope that all are rescued in a timely and safe manner w/ no more fatalities for all involved.

 

[Dan]

Here is an overview & recap of what’s happening there from 3 cave divers of Blue World Academy, including Jonathan Bird himself:

 

[Guardpilot]

Much respect and prayers to everyone involved in this rescue. Godspeed to the Diver who perished. I watched some of the videos and felt extremely uncomfortable watching them (claustrophobic). You guys are the real deal... Prayers

 

[MichaelMc]

Guardian coverage page resumes. Roughly: media being moved back from cave, photos restricted, divers entering, speculation of evacuation operation.

Thailand cave rescue: media banned from site amid speculation over mission to free boys – live

The Thai SEAL camp seemed inside that media barrier already. Keep in mind the round trip times if now is the actual entry time of any effort.

 

[beaverdivers]

Here is an overview & recap of what’s happening there from 3 cave divers of Blue World Academy, including Jonathan Bird himself:

Very nice synapsis.

 

[Centrals]

I would rather hear from someone who has been doing the work in that cave than someone sitting thousand miles away talking about the work involved.

 

[Nick Steele]

I would rather hear from someone who has been doing the work in that cave than someone sitting thousand miles away talking about the work involved.

Somewhat agree they even got the kids ages wrong. Everywhere I’ve seen has said 11-16 but they say 10-12? But some of what they talk about helps some of us non cave divers understand a little better.

But I wouldn’t be too happy if someone that was doing the work in the cave stopped rescue attempts and general work around there to tell people who aren’t in danger what is going on where people are in danger. If they are working in the area they are there because they need to be and are skilled enough to be there.

 

[Bierstadt]

Prayers for these kids and the rescue team. I hope the kids are getting comfortable with scuba quickly. It seems like the only options they have are if the kids swim out or if they are bundled up and pulled out like a package.

 

[Dan]

It’s made from a fuel line that transfers liquid oxygen, I got the details from the links. On his Twitter he says there are two points forward and two points rear to make line attachments to and two attachments forward and two aft to hook in air cylinders. All attachments are recessed to help navigate through restrictions. Separate compartments to add rocks or lead to for buoyancy adjustments.

On top of that he has been in contact with rescuers, so I assume he is building to their specs....lots of details from those links

Twitter

"Maybe worth trying: insert a 1m diameter nylon tube (or shorter set of tubes for most difficult sections) through cave network & inflate with air like a bouncy castle. Should create an air tunnel underwater against cave roof & auto-conform to odd shapes like the 70cm hole."

I like this idea. I think it might work. I'm thinking of a tubular thin-wall air mattress like we use for camping, instead of a flat mattress, we have a tubular shape like a giant tube.

The tube wall can be air filled through a nozzle and pressurized to form a waterproof wall that conforms from a tubular tunnel to whatever shape of the restrictions that is long enough from the above water entry to above water exit. The pressurized wall is rigid enough to withstand the hydraulic pressure as the tube tunneling down & up through the sump.

To install the tunnel, a diver can unroll and pull the flat, uninflatted version in & out the sump. Once both ends are above water, a person at the entrance inflates the wall through the nozzle at the entry point with air from an air pump or several air-full scuba tanks.

70cm diameter should be big enough for each boys to crawl in & out of the tunnel. A rope may be needed to assist the boy to crawl out of a steep part of the tunnel.

 

[MikeyIdea]

I wonder how extensive the legal work is that must be going on

Almost none of course. There has been one single mentioning of it in 16 days. That was pursuing legal action against the coach. That person was shut up by a picture of the warning sign outside the cave that warns of flooding July to November, the coach and the kids entered 23-June. The coach is now a hero for guiding the kids to keep calm and rational for 9 days in total darkness instead. That is in Thai media anyway

Here's the warning sign