I'm glad that they're out... now if the news would stop calling them "oxygen tanks", that'd be great.
12 boys lost in flooded Thai cave
- Thread starter Dogbowl
- Start date
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Nick Steele
Contributor
This is amazing! For this rescue to go down and have only one casualty is just awsome. God bless the Thai Seal who gave his life in the effort to save these boys and thier coach.
cs4160
Registered
Fantastic news! Are the remaining rescuers coming out as we speak or is there another operation planed for tomorrow?
InTheDrink
Contributor
What a relief. Amazing news. Hope they get the seals and doc out tonight and the celebrations can properly begin.
Amazing feat!
Amazing feat!
A caveat...
This was an exceptional rescue, done by exceptional divers, with an exceptional support team, with limited resources and even more limits on their time. There were a number of exceptions which enabled them to complete the task and rescue the Boars!
We are going to have a lot of questions and concerns about what/how/why in regards to the equipment and the techniques they used. Pretty normal, but the situation and the subsequent rescue were anything but. This was an "outside of the box" situation, so they had to think outside the box to resolve it. Cavers without wings, without redundant air, lights, spools and even without proper training are alarming for many of us who have adopted these life-saving concepts. That's OK, and we should still hold to those concepts, for the diving the majority of us will be exposed to won't be exceptional in any regard.
This was an exceptional rescue, done by exceptional divers, with an exceptional support team, with limited resources and even more limits on their time. There were a number of exceptions which enabled them to complete the task and rescue the Boars!
We are going to have a lot of questions and concerns about what/how/why in regards to the equipment and the techniques they used. Pretty normal, but the situation and the subsequent rescue were anything but. This was an "outside of the box" situation, so they had to think outside the box to resolve it. Cavers without wings, without redundant air, lights, spools and even without proper training are alarming for many of us who have adopted these life-saving concepts. That's OK, and we should still hold to those concepts, for the diving the majority of us will be exposed to won't be exceptional in any regard.
Saltyhawg
Contributor
Well said, very good take on the matter!
MichaelMc
Working toward Cenotes
Team that stayed with the boys is out!!! HooYah!!
Thailand cave rescue: all 12 boys and coach successfully rescued – live
Thai NavySEAL
Thailand cave rescue: all 12 boys and coach successfully rescued – live
Thai NavySEAL
Saltyhawg
Contributor
Well said - I think pretty much everything about this rescue has been unusual and "outside the box".
There are so many circumstances that are limited to this particular rescue (there are too many to mention) but here are some:
1) The kids being found alive after 9 days in a decently sized air pocket with air that was still breathable.
2) The weather, although it did trap them, did not materialise into the full monsoon as it might have done - that alone might have flooded the cave enough to render assistance impossible
3) The willingness of the Thai navy seals and authorities to accept that they did not have the skills/training to work the problem.
4) The willingness of international cave divers (of such a skill level) to help that location was even a possibility.
5) The logistics of putting this all together and the amount of resources that have been made available to this situation - hundreds of support people, 90+ divers, pumps & crews, scuba gear, tanks.
6) The particular nature of the caves themselves.
I have heard mention from a few UK sources that these sorts of dives (sump dives) are a different beast to that which a lot of cave divers will recognise and although these guys are well trained cave divers, they have adapted certain things to suit the particular circumstances (such as the "inner tube" wing etc). They do not have a "DIR standard" kit set as mentioned quite a few pages back.
The crews involved, as you say, had to pretty much write the script as they went along. Thankfully, due to their skills and experience, they managed to do it. I sincerely doubt this will be used as a blueprint for any future rescues except from the point of view of international co-operation.
Thoughts must go out to the family of the Thai Navy Seal that died in the process of this especially at this time where everyone else is celebrating - his family are having to come to terms with their loss.
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