All 13 Members of Thai Soccer Team Rescued from Cave After 17 Days

The team, including 12 boys and their coach, had been stranded in the Tham Luang cave since 23 June. 

The Quint
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This photo tweeted by Elon Musk shows efforts to rescue trapped members of a youth soccer team from a flooded cave in northern Thailand.
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This photo tweeted by Elon Musk shows efforts to rescue trapped members of a youth soccer team from a flooded cave in northern Thailand.
(Photo: Elon Musk via Twitter)

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Ending a 17-day ordeal that gripped the world, all 13 members of a Thailand soccer team were successfully rescued from a flooded cave complex in the Chiang Rai province in the country.

The rescue operation, which began on 8 July, successfully concluded on 10 July, when the remaining five members of the group 12 boys and their soccer coach were brought out and transferred to a hospital.

The team, called the 'Wild Boars', had been stranded in the Tham Luang cave since 23 June and their successful rescue brought much relief and gratitude to the world community.

  • According to health officials, most of the boys have lost “an average of two kgs”, but show no signs of stress and are generally well
  • The French football team dedicated their World Cup semi-final win to the Thai boys
  • The boys would reportedly not be attending the FIFA World Cup final owing to their “weakness”
  • Eight people had been rescued on 8 and 9 July
  • Five more members were rescued on 10 July, successfully concluding the operation

Medic, Navy Seals Exit Tham Luang Cave

Thai officials confirmed that the medics and Navy Seals, who had entered the cave to rescue the 13 stranded team members, have safely exited the cave now.

All 13 Members Successfully Rescued from Cave

Thai Navy Seals rest during the attempt to reach the stranded football team’s members.(Photo Courtesy: Facebook/កំសាន្ត)

Twelve members of the Thailand soccer team, the "Wild Boars", as well as the coach, were rescued from the cave in Chiang Rai province. The rescue operation which began on 8 July concluded successfully on 10 July.

Three Ambulances Seen Leaving Rescue Site

An emergency team believed to be carrying one of the rescued boys from the flooded cave heads to the hospital in Chiang Rai as divers evacuated some of the 12 boys (Photo: AP)

Ambulances with flashing lights were seen leaving the site of the rescue, AP reported.

Eleventh Boy Rescued From Cave Complex, Two People Still Trapped

Rescuers walk toward the entrance to a cave complex where five were still trapped, in Mae Sai, Chiang Rai province, northern Thailand Tuesday, July 10, 2018.(Photo: AP)

An eleventh person was rescued on Tuesday from the flooded Thai cave complex where 12 boys and their soccer coach were trapped for more than two weeks, raising hopes all 13 would be out by the end of the day, Reuters reported.

A Reuters witness saw three people being carried out of the Tham Luang cave on stretchers separately on Tuesday, the third day of the rescue operation.

A person with knowledge of the rescue said just before the eleventh person was spotted, that 10 people had been brought out.

Ninth Person Rescued from the Cave

A photo of a member of the Thai navy seals team, shared on Twitter.(Photo Courtesy: Twitter/ @Ahubofmyown)

One more person has been rescued and was seen being taken out on a stretcher from the cave where Thai youth football team members are stuck, Reuters reported.

Royal Thai Embassy Thanks India for Support

Apirat Sugondhabhirom, Minister and Deputy Chief of Mission, Royal Thai Embassy said that Thailand was thankful to India for its tremendous support

“I would like to thank India, the Royal Thai Embassy has been receiving many messages from our Indian friends caring for our children trapped in the cave. The gesture that India has shown to us will not be forgotten,” he said.

All Five Trapped to Be Brought out at the Same Time: Rescue Op Chief

An emergency team believed to be carrying one of the rescued boys from the flooded cave heads to the hospital in Chiang Rai(Photo: AP)

Head of the rescue mission Narongsak Osottanakorn told a news conference the latest rescue operation began at about 10:08 a.m. local time (0308 GMT).

"All five will be brought out at the same time today," he said, to cheers from reporters and rescue workers.

Recue Operation Resumes, 19-Member Team Enters Cave

Operation to rescue the remaining five boys of the football team stuck in a cave in Thailand resumed on Tuesday, 10 July, with a 19-member team having entered the cave for the mission.

Boys in Good Health, but Show Signs of Infection: Official

All eight boys rescued so far are in good health overall and the first four rescued boys are eating well, Thailand's health ministry permanent secretary said on Tuesday.

"All eight rescued boys today are in good health, none have a fever," Jesada Chokedamrongsuk, permanent secretary of the ministry of public health, told a news conference in Chiang Rai in northern Thailand.

However, Thongchai Lertwilairatanapong, inspector general of the public health ministry, said preliminary blood checks indicated "all kids showed signs of infection".

Four Boys Rescued Today Arrive at Hospital, All Safe

All four boys who were rescued today have arrived at the hospital and are safe, Reuters reported.

“Give me three more days and the Wild Boar team will come out” the local commander of Thai Armed Forces said to Reuters.

Eighth Team Member Rescued from Thailand Cave

With one more person being carried out on a stretcher, eight people from the Thailand soccer team the “Wild Boars” have been rescued from the flooded Tham Luang cave in Chiang Rai province, Reuters reported.

Sixth And Seventh Person Carried Out On Stretchers From Thai Cave

A sixth and seventh person were carried out of Tham Luang cave on stretchers, a witness told Reuters.

Healthy and Demanding Fried Rice: First Boys Rescued from Thai Cave in Hospital

The first four boys rescued from a flooded cave in northern Thailand were in good health and demanding fried rice in hospital on Monday, the head of the rescue team said to Reuters, as divers resumed operations to bring out the remaining members of the group.

The four children are fine. The children complained that they were hungry and wanted holy basil stir-fried rice.
Narongsak Osottanakorn, Head of the rescue operation

A source involved in the rescue mission who saw two of the four boys walk out of the cave told Reuters that they looked tired but healthy, adding that one even looked "vivacious and fresh".

“Imagine marathon runners. It's like when they reach the finish line exhausted," said the source.

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Fifth Boy From Thailand Soccer Team Rescued From Cave

A Thai well wisher puts a poster to pray for the boys and their soccer coach who have been trapped since 23 June, in Mae Sai, Chiang Rai province.(Photo: AP)

One more boy was rescued, the Royal Thai navy confirmed to Reuters.

“A fifth boy has been rescued from Tham Luang cave,” A Royal Thai Navy official said to Reuters.

Rescuers Carry a Person on Stretcher to Ambulance: Report

Rescue workers in Thailand were seen carrying a person on a stretcher away from a cave complex and into a waiting ambulance on Monday, a Reuters witness said.

A mission to rescue a group of boys and their soccer coach trapped in the flooded cave since June 23 resumed hours earlier.

More Personnel Deployed for Rescue: Chief of Rescue Mission

The chief of the Rescue mission told Reuters that more rescue personnel had been deployed in the second phase of the mission that resumed on Monday, 9 July.

“We are using more personnel than yesterday,” said the chief.

Operations Resume to Rescue Thai Soccer Team Trapped in Cave

An operation to rescue a group of Thai boys and their soccer coach trapped in a flooded cave resumed on Monday, 9 July, said several officials with knowledge of the operation at the Tham Luang cave in the northern Thai province of Chiang Rai.

Nine members of the "Wild Boars" team are still inside the Tham Luang cave after foreign andThai divers guided four boys out safely late on Sunday.

Rescue Operation Could Take up to 4 Days

Officials say it could take up to four days to complete the rescue of the remaining eight boys and their soccer coach from inside a northern Thailand cave, reported Associated Press (AP).

Authorities temporarily stopped their efforts to replenish air tanks along the cave’s treacherous exit route.

Expert divers on Sunday managed to get four of the 12 boys to safety. They were quickly transported to a hospital in the town of Chiang Rai, the provincial capital.

'Need 10 Hours to Prepare for Next Operation'

The Thai head of rescue operations told Reuters that the workers need 10 hours to prepare for the next operation.

90 divers, of whom 50 belong to foreign countries and 40 from Thai are involved in the rescue operations, reported Reuters.

In Photos: Visuals From Outside the Hospital Where Rescued Boys Are Admitted

Two More Boys Rescued

Two boys have exited a flooded cave in northern Thailand where they have been trapped for more than two weeks, a senior member of rescue operation's medical team said on Sunday.

Authorities in northern Chiang Rai province began the dangerous mission to bring out the 12 boys and their soccer coach earlier on Sunday.

Two Members of the Soccer Team Rescued

The first two schoolboys have emerged from a flooded Thai cave after divers launched a daring and dangerous mission to rescue the children and their soccer coach, who have been trapped underground for more than two weeks, a Thai official said.

"Two kids are out. They are currently at the field hospital near the cave," Tossathep Boonthong, chief of the health department in Chiang Rai in northern Thailand, told Reuters. "We are giving them a physical examination."

Rescue Operation Could Take 2-4 Days: Official

The rescue operation of 12 boys and football coach trapped in the cave could take 2-4 days, a Thai official told AP.

18 Divers, 5 Navy Seals Sent in for Rescue

13 foreign divers, five Thai divers and 5 navy seals have been sent in to rescue the trapped boys, head of the rescue mission told Reuters.

Group Likely to Be Rescued by 9 pm

The fastest the group can be brought out is at 9 pm local time (1400 GMT), head of the rescue mission at Thailand’s Tham Luang cave told Reuters.

Divers Begin Rescue Operations

Divers began an operation to rescue 12 boys and their football coach trapped in a cave complex in northern Thailand, the head of the rescue mission said on Sunday, 8 July.

Rescuers began the mission at 10 am local time (08:30 IST) and it would take many hours before the first boy emerges from the cave, Narongsak Osottanakorn, head of the rescue mission, told reporters.

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Published: 08 Jul 2018,09:51 AM IST

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