They're Alive!!!

dotsman

After being trapped in the caves for 9 days, the Thai schoolkids have just been found alive.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-44688909

No idea how long it will take to actually get them out of the caves. But, given that most people were probably giving up hope at this stage, it's great to actually have some "good news" story to compete with the usual brexit/trump/terrorism horror stories that dominate the international news so much these days

I would love to know how they survived. Doubt they had much in terms of food/clothing/drinking water. Perhaps the water in the caves was safe for drinking, and was neither too warm, nor too cold?

Should we take bets on who will be the first to make a reference to Father ted?

wexie

dotsman wrote: »

After being trapped in the caves for 9 days, the Thai schoolkids have just been found alive.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-44688909

No idea how long it will take to actually get them out of the caves. But, given that most people were probably giving up hope at this stage, it's great to actually have some "good news" story to compete with the usual brexit/trump/terrorism horror stories that dominate the international news so much these days

I would love to know how they survived. Doubt they had much in terms of food/clothing/drinking water. Perhaps the water in the caves was safe for drinking, and was neither too warm, nor too cold?

Should we take bets on who will be the first to make a reference to Father ted?

I saw that earlier. Didn't think there was much hope left for them to be honest.

From what I understand they had a little food and water with them and the temperatures in the caves (if I remember correctly) was something between 19 and 21 or so.

Great news

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Great news. I had begun to think it was looking hopeless.

Rhyme

Just read that all who went in are still safe. That's one theory of their survival out the window.

Stheno

that's made my day. what amazing news!!!!!

fair dues to the rescuers

riffmongous

Wow that's great, nice to see a bit of good news

Jim Bob Scratcher

"I don't believe it"


Great news though.

Graces7

Wonderful relief.. Praise be.

judeboy101

They spent 8days on a bender in Phuket and snuck in the back entrance.

RobbingBandit

Nice news to hear very lucky I'd say their story will be interesting to hear once they're up to telling it.

gammygils

Let's see who can screech the loudest........

Great News though

Roger Hassenforder

Great news

Is this the first thread in years, no one is triggered, outraged or offended?

The J Stands for Jay

dotsman wrote: »

After being trapped in the caves for 9 days, the Thai schoolkids have just been found alive.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-44688909

No idea how long it will take to actually get them out of the caves. But, given that most people were probably giving up hope at this stage, it's great to actually have some "good news" story to compete with the usual brexit/trump/terrorism horror stories that dominate the international news so much these days

I would love to know how they survived. Doubt they had much in terms of food/clothing/drinking water. Perhaps the water in the caves was safe for drinking, and was neither too warm, nor too cold?

Should we take bets on who will be the first to make a reference to Father ted?

Thanks for posting good news, on any subject. I was hoping this is what it'd be when I saw the thread title.

Star Bingo

What are they little frankensteins?!!

Discodog

They aren't safe yet. It's going to be so difficult to get them out through the totally flooded passageways.

Poochie05

I saw a report yesterday that the divers were close to the area they thought they were in. 'Close' was 3 km away.
Imagine having to travel 3 km underwater, even with breathing apparatus, that's some swim!

wexie

Poochie05 wrote: »

Imagine having to travel 3 km underwater, even with breathing apparatus, that's some swim!

Actually not that bad at all, lots of sports divers would do that regularly.

It's the whole cave thing that makes it so dangerous and arduous. Cave diving comes with lots of it's own challenges (stirring up silt being a big one) that make it very very dangerous.

Grayson

Poochie05 wrote: »

I saw a report yesterday that the divers were close to the area they thought they were in. 'Close' was 3 km away.
Imagine having to travel 3 km underwater, even with breathing apparatus, that's some swim!

apparently they swam in, dropped tanks, went back and got more tanks. Each time they did this they'd go a bit further to drop more tanks. So they created all these staging areas.

I know the kinds are safe but jesus this is going to be a traumatic experience. Imagine being trapped in the dark for that long.

wexie

Discodog wrote: »

They aren't safe yet. It's going to be so difficult to get them out through the totally flooded passageways.

Yeah but I guess at least if they have been located and people can get to them and get supplies to them it will help a lot. Poor feckers must be starving at this stage I'd imagine.

gctest50

Meanwhile in the Philippines :

kids compessor diving for gold :

kneemos

Starvin.

Malayalam

Oh crikey, are they not actually out yet? They have to swim underwater for a few miles?

Sycamore Tree

Great story. Delighted for them. I do a bit of caving and I was pessimistic.

Malayalam

https://twitter.com/ABC/status/1013853984904433664

there's a video there, gives a very idea of their circumstances, I don't know how to make it embed.

Pero_Bueno

Nice to see a good news story

alchemist33

Malayalam wrote: »

Oh crikey, are they not actually out yet? They have to swim underwater for a few miles?

Hopefully the waters recede soon and they can walk out. There may also be the tunnel option. I believe they dug a tunnel into another part of the cave system.

dotsman

As you look at the RTE's timeline, it really has the hallmarks of a Hollywood movie (albeit with american kids no doubt!).

https://www.rte.ie/news/2018/0702/975882-thailand-cave-rescue/

When you look at how difficult it was (and, in the last few days, how unlikely it was going to have a happy ending), the families must currently be experiencing levels of joy and elevation no drug could ever hope to give.

Ipso

I feel claustrophobic thinking about it.

Stigura

Malayalam wrote: »

there's a video there, gives a very idea of their circumstances.

Fcuk You!!! I was sitting here, Enjoying my dinner. Now, it's fcuking choking me, as I try to see it through these tears!

Malayalam

Malayalam wrote: »

https://twitter.com/ABC/status/1013853984904433664

there's a video there, gives a very idea of their circumstances, I don't know how to make it embed.

I find that video both incredibly uplifting and moving. Myself and my wife virtually high-fived each other when we heard the news. Great kids.

Noveight

Chilean Miners; The Sequel.

vicwatson

Noveight wrote: »

Chilean Miners; The Sequel.

They were like 33 days down there or something? Mad stuff that

refusetolose

heres the full video from when they were found https://www.facebook.com/percen.malaysia/videos/1714898415290288/

Summer wind

Absolutely brilliant news. I'm delighted to hear it. Their families must be so happy. Lovely to get some good news.

StupidLikeAFox

Noveight wrote: »

Chilean Miners; The Sequel.

Thailand Minors

Realt Dearg Sec

StupidLikeAFox wrote: »

Noveight wrote: »

Chilean Miners; The Sequel.

Thailand Minors

Yeah there's something you probably don't want in your Google history.

the_syco

alchemist33 wrote: »

Hopefully the waters recede soon and they can walk out.

Either they wait 9 months, or learn to dive.

ChikiChiki

Reported that they are going to be teached how to dive to get out. May take a while yet.

Mrcaramelchoc

It takes a special kind of person to go cave diving like that and rescue someone.for me personally i would die with the claustrophobia.terrifying.well done to all concerned.

Mrcaramelchoc

vicwatson wrote: »

They were like 33 days down there or something? Mad stuff that

Yea but weren't they in contact with the people/rescuers above from day one? Look at the darkness and dampness these kids were in with no contact from day one.

Great that they've been found but awful to hear plans of four months food etc. On the RTE timeline, it said it was like swimming through cold coffee so it will be extreme cave diving from complete amateurs to survive.

Discodog

It won't be 4 months. That is the absolute maximum if they have to wait for the monsoon to finish & the cave to drain. They will establish a chain system to bring them out but they won't rush it as, for now, they are safe. No point in taking unnecessary risk.

Malayalam

https://www.news.com.au/world/asia/soccer-team-lost-for-10-days-in-a-thai-cave-are-found-alive-officials-announce/news-story/da0bff78febaccb82a46964163dfd69b

Good account of what faces them, and their location.

I was struck by how calm the children were. They have been in total pitch black with probably only a snack or two to share over the past 9 days. Imagine the utter darkness of it. They have had to drink some form of water in the dark, and that water looked very brown and silty to me. They have had to arrange toileting for a large group, including quite young ones, in the complete dark! They have been trapped there probably convinced that they were eventually going to die, and yet somehow they seemed so calm and even polite in that first video when they were found. No hysteria or shouting or scrabbling towards the divers. Amazing kids.

Caves are one of my greatest fears, all that heavy press of rock above ones head. Claustrophic to imagine it. And now these kids have to be taught how to dive and navigate narrow clefts, and move for quite a long distance under water! It's like an epic unfolding.

Roger_007

I was just thinking about how they rescued the Chilean miners and if they could use a similar drilling method to drain some of the flooded parts of the cave system to make the rescue easier?

gctest50

Roger_007 wrote: »

I was just thinking about how they rescued the Chilean miners and if they could use a similar drilling method to drain some of the flooded parts of the cave system to make the rescue easier?

They're pumping already

Hector Savage

Malayalam wrote: »

https://www.news.com.au/world/asia/soccer-team-lost-for-10-days-in-a-thai-cave-are-found-alive-officials-announce/news-story/da0bff78febaccb82a46964163dfd69b

Good account of what faces them, and their location.

I was struck by how calm the children were. They have been in total pitch black with probably only a snack or two to share over the past 9 days. Imagine the utter darkness of it. They have had to drink some form of water in the dark, and that water looked very brown and silty to me. They have had to arrange toileting for a large group, including quite young ones, in the complete dark! They have been trapped there probably convinced that they were eventually going to die, and yet somehow they seemed so calm and even polite in that first video when they were found. No hysteria or shouting or scrabbling towards the divers. Amazing kids.

Caves are one of my greatest fears, all that heavy press of rock above ones head. Claustrophic to imagine it. And now these kids have to be taught how to dive and navigate narrow clefts, and move for quite a long distance under water! It's like an epic unfolding.

You should watch "Diving into the unknown" it's a documentary on Netflix about Finnish cave divers who mount their own expedition to recover their friends bodies - amazing doc!

ohnonotgmail

vicwatson wrote: »

They were like 33 days down there or something? Mad stuff that

these lads might yet be down there longer.

wakka12

Ah this story would just break and then remend your heart
Imagine seeing your sons smiling face on the phone after thinking he was dead for over a week..just a beautiful story

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wexie

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Was wondering last night if the 2 divers that made it through would have left them some torches, I'd say just that would have been a huge boost in morale.

This is going to be an interesting story to follow. I really hope that now they've all been found alive they'll also all get out alive.

PCX

wexie wrote: »

Was wondering last night if the 2 divers that made it through would have left them some torches, I'd say just that would have been a huge boost in morale.

This is going to be an interesting story to follow. I really hope that now they've all been found alive they'll also all get out alive.

I would be surprised if the divers had carried extra equipment with them on the search dives given the tight spaces they had to squeeze through. Any equipment they had on them, such as torches, would presumably be needed by them for safety during the return leg of their dive. The most important thing would be to make sure they made it back safely to report where the kids were.

After ten days trapped in complete darkness with no food I'd imagine they were feeling pretty hopeless before they spotted torch lights approching in the water.
I imagine it was a huge moral boost for the kids just to know that they were not forgotten and help was going to be on its way.