When the news about the trapped boys broke out, it was so heartbreaking. They were trapped inside a deep, dark cave for 9 days - with no food and very limited oxygen supply. They were only discovered by rescuers on the 10th day.
When I first read the article, there was no clarity yet if they could be rescued immediately or if they had to wait inside the cave until the monsoon season is over which may take months. I remember during that time, I was preoccupied with some personal challenges. But after reading the article, my challenges seem trivial. There, in another part of the world, were a group of boys who haven't seen daylight for 10 days, haven't eaten proper food and only survived by sipping the condensation from the cave walls, and no certainty on how they would be saved.
Every night before I went to bed and during my idle breaks since I read that article, I would think about the boys and how their families were coping. I am sure a lot of people felt the same way and the only thing we could do from our tiny side of the world is to pray for the boys, their families and the rescuers and other volunteers. 🙏🙏🙏
The world rejoiced when all 13 - 12 boys and their coach - were saved on days 15 to 18, with the last batch successfully brought out (from the cave) on July 10.
It was such an amazing feat made possible because people got together to help. You know how many people helped? According to the NY Times, the Thailand cave rescue operation assembled from an amalgam of muscle and brainpower from around the world: 10,000 people participated, including 2,000 soldiers, 200 divers and representatives from 100 government agencies.
In addition to this, people across Thailand volunteered in any way they could such as cooking meals for rescuers, operating pumps to suck water out of the cave, etc. And according to some articles, even Elon Musk offered a small submarine for the rescue operations.
How difficult and dangerous was the cave rescue operations?
The boys were trapped more than 1 mile underground. You need to be submerged 40 minutes at a time, the water temperature was bone-chilling, the current was very strong (it felt like you were diving against a waterfalls one diver said) and you can't see clearly underwater (you can't even see your hand if you put it in front of your face mask another diver said). It's so dangerous that a retired Thai Navy SEAL and volunteer in the rescue operations, Saman Gunan, unfortunately died in an underwater passageway while he was placing air tanks on an underwater supply route. Reports say either he must have ran out of air or succumbed to hypothermia. 😭
The diagram below shows the several obstacles inside the cave to reach the boys and how difficult and dangerous it is to traverse it.
Because the boys didn't know how to swim or dive (actually, even if they knew, the cave was still a difficult dive), the boys were strapped to plastic cocoons and floating stretchers during the rescue operations. They were also given anti-anxiety medication to avert panic attacks as they would be submerged in water for long periods.
The following illustrates how the rescuers carefully handled and carried the boys out of safety in different parts of the cave.
Really, really amazing. 👏👏👏
I salute everyone who was part of the Tham Luang Cave rescue operations and risked their lives. It's a true testament that when everyone gets together for a good cause, impossible feats can happen. 👏💪 🙇 What's also amazing about the cave rescue operations was that no one seemed to take credit for the triumph. When any of the volunteer rescuers (of any nationality) are interviewed, they always say it's a collective effort and they were just doing what they can to help - which is a true sign of the purest intentions.
In that first and last interview with the press, the boys said that they will enter monkhood to pay tribute to Mr Saman. In Theravada Buddhist practice, ordaining to be a monk at a temple and donating the merit gained is one of the greatest honours that a person can give to another. When the boys are ordained, they will be doing so in honour of Mr Saman, and donating the merit of the exercise to his memory. (Source) 💙
