CBC: All 12 soccer boys, coach rescued from flooded Thai cave in ‘challenging’ final push
The head of the operation, Narongsak Osottanakorn, said earlier that the final operation Tuesday would be “more challenging” because one more survivor would be brought out, along with three Navy SEALs and a medic who had been staying with the group. The medic and three navy SEALs have yet to emerge from the cave, the SEALs said on Facebook.
Word that the team made it out safely was met with celebrations near the cave in the country’s north that became the site of a sprawling international rescue effort.
They never should have been in that cave during monsoon season. How many times are we going to spend millions rescuing people from foolish adventures? Mountain skiers in avalanche zones, please feel free to comment.
I agree with cgh,
we should not have to waste millions of dollars and put the lives of other people in danger to save a few idiots/ irresponsible people.
the way I see it and have for decades is that by doing that we are reversing the advantages of ” survival of the fittest ”
we help the most unfit or the dumbest to remain alive, which increases the odds they will reproduce and transmit their stupid DNA to a future generation of stupid unfit people who will require more of our help to remain alive.
Relax, now that they are back in their schoolyard, they won’t allowed to play dodgeball even.
They shouldn’t have been in the cave, period.
“Mission Impossible” indeed.
12 kids who could not swim, make it through 1km of murky, zero visibility water? No one panicked?
Incredible, absolutely incredible.
Bravo to the brave who got em out.
They’re competitive soccer players! Of all the competitive youth soccer teams I coached … NONE of my kids would have panicked … all right … maybe the ONE kid who I screwed-up and picked for sentimental, not athletic reasons. But the near entirety of my teams were made up of kids who were raised to be tough, resilient, and independent (by their -usually- type-A) parents. Think: Humbolt Broncos survivors.
Forget the arduous journey back through the water … what about the panicked clostrophobia of just sitting in a tiny air pocket in the pitch black of a flooded cave system! I would tend to panic in such a situation! But I haven’t heard any tales of the kids panicking at all … even while patiently waiting for rescue. Good for these boys … their parents … and yes, even, the mush-headed coach who took them into the cave during MOONSOON SEASON!!! There can be no doubt that the coach played an important role in holding the kids spirits together while trapped.
I took one of my competitive girls U-14 soccer team whitewater (guided) rafting on the American River (as a bonding exercise) before a tournament in Folsom CA. Imagine if one of the girls drowned, or had a leg broke on a rock, or eye poked out from a low hanging branch, or was bitten by a swimming rattlesnake? Yeah, I’m sorta defending the coach … who wanted to give the boys a similar outing … the difference being that I took my girls on a GUIDED tour on class 3 (not class 5 – which was an option) whitewater. And yes, we won the tournament … and the girls had a ball doing the rafting!
Nice to know they got rescued without one bit of Elon Musk’s Federally subsidized “moon shot” toys. Geeze what a putz.
Agree with Kenji.
Life is tough, the kids survived, will know better next time, life goes on.
What the hell is the problem.
Sheesh.
People die crossing the street.
Some just die … no reason.
I agree with the above comments. The Thai government should consider sealing the cave up to prevent future similar incidents.
Every year people get into trouble in the skiing and snowmobiling areas by ignoring warnings.
The scoutmaster needs to be held responsible he got those boys into this mess during the Monsoon season
The interesting thing is that I haven’t heard about any of the parents demanding this guy’s balls. Seems the Thai kids come by their mental toughness naturally.
And not a single complaint about “toxic masculinity” during the entire rescue 😉
@Northern Eye: I’m sure when they make a movie of this episode, they will include a few female seals.
With romantic interludes in the caves?
Between the two female Seals … and a Questioning male Seal Team member …
@Shamrock: Well, there’s a thought.
And Kenjii, hmmm, a screen is being concocted already. Keep up the good work
First, the SJW professor needs about $400,000 to study the issue. Then a ten page report saying … toxic masculinity.
Money first !
Great news, and a testament to the bravery and professionalism of the Thai special forces. Well done.
Thankfully a good ending.
Elon Musk, that shallow, vain charlatan, tried to use this incident to inflate his ego even further and to get his worshippers even more drugged up. Said he was sending a drilling team to help, proposed dumb ideas like a nylon tube, and so forth. The diving experts of the world all politely told him to take his idiotic ideas and stick them you know where. What a poser.
Did you happen to see the “demonstration” Musk put together for his mini missile sub? Putting the kids into an 18” diameter tube … sealed … where they cannot move a muscle would probably be worse than death from oxygen deprivation.
PS … how did his “Boring Co.” experts do there in Thailand? I do hope they found time to visit some titty bars while on vacation …
When does the POPE declare this as a miracle by GOD.. The Coach was trained as a Monk!
The POPE has already blamed the event on … EXTREME WEATHER … caused by greedy capitalists who insist on imposing industry, technology, and automobiles on God’s perfect planet … which was never intended (by God) to have so many human parasites living on it … upon which, the POPE called for the Catholic Church to approve of all abortion … endorse … abortion, in an effort to save Gaia!!!!!
Inotherwords … this POPE and Vatican has discovered there is MORE $$$££€€€ to be nicked from Global Warming programs … than the dwindling collection plates.
Call me cynical … but I WEEP for what the Catholic Church has become under this EVIL POPE.
This is the first I’ve read of navy SEALS. Would this be American navy SEALS or THAI navy SEALS?
Also, there must have been a lot of poop in that cave. Just sayin… one stinky cave.
Thai.
I understand it was British who first found the boys.
Those kids should thank their lucky stars they signed up for soccer.
If they had been rugby players God only knows how many of them would’ve been found uneaten…
I kid, I kid.
Still, a heckuva story.
As a former Rugby player, I am well acquainted with the book … ALIVE … and I wholeheartedly agree with you. I suspect the non-sporting among us … would just roll over and die.
For starters – keep this story the heck away from James Cameron. He totally destroyed a great true story of an Australian cave rescue WHERE EVERYONE SURVIVED with his almost everyone dies from stupidity or dumb luck flick “Sanctum”.
Another thing – boys being boys they probably would have gone cave exploring without their coach after practice. I did tons of dangerous stupid stuff in my teenage years with no adults around. My belief is that the coach was tagging along just to make sure his kids didn’t go off the deep end and his presence definitely helped with saving lives. Bravo to all the rescuers and my condolences the diver who died in the service of saving the team. It’s proof that miracles happen.
anyone who has done any serious sports diving will be completely and fully aware of the host of challenges in this rescue.
kudos maximus to the dudes that coached the kids, knew *precisely* the balance between spelling out what was necessary, how to deal with whatever, without spooking them.
I’m glad they were rescued and I agree, they shouldn’t have been in the cave in the first place. And I thank God for bad-assed men. What would we women do without them!
There was a tweet somewhere where someone pointed out that today men are constantly being told they are too masculine, that they are too dominant, that they must be sissified. And the tweet pointed out the irony that when we are in trouble then all of a sudden we want real men.
This thread seems to be busy so I thought I would mention that radar in western SK is looking very ominous for tornadic storms — the line has already passed Leader to Maple Creek so if you’re east of that, be aware these storms are heading east at a steady rate, would not be the day to be driving west from Moose Jaw to Swift Current or anything similar.
As to the cave story, I don’t get why they went in, the monsoon season in Thailand is fairly predictable and this is it.
Meh –
Article should read “Darwin Deprived.”
155 dead in Japan today; because it rained.
So….
In this case the stupidity is tragic.
1 rescue diver is dead and there are still 4-6 other divers in there including the doctor.
Loosing people of merit is never a good outcome.
I’m happy enough they weren’t smoking dope or whatever teens are “supposed” to be doing with their lives. And deep thanks to the Seals and others involved in the rescue for a job well done.
I have to admit that I tend to think of places like Thailand (yeah, I know its got beautiful beaches and whatnot) as disorganized 3rd world hell holes … where law and order is spotty at best. But then, I witness a pretty damn great government (?) effort at getting these kids out. It seemed as though they brought in all the right resources and made the right decisions (i.e. took our military advice, and ignored charlatans like Elon Musk). And more importantly … they did it in a TIMELY manner as there was no time to twaddle.
Well done, Thailand government agencies … well done! You’ve made me re-examine my biases and prejudices about your competency.