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WORLD NEWS Friday 29 June 2018

Thai rescuers search for other entrances to flooded cave

By TASSANEE VEJPONGSA led a prayer for relatives,
Associated Press many of them red-eyed
MAE SAI, Thailand (AP) — and crying.
Rescuers punched a hole Medics sat in a tent nearby,
into the side of a mountain and bicycles, backpacks
on Thursday in a desper- and soccer cleats the boys
ate attempt to drain rising left behind remained at the
water from a flooded cave entrance.
in northern Thailand where Anmar Mirza, national co-
12 boys and their soccer ordinator of the National
coach have been missing Cave Rescue Commission
for five days. in the U.S. and editor of the
But the effort appeared Manual of U.S. Cave Res-
unsuccessful and the situa- cue Techniques, said that
tion remained dire, with no in a situation like this there
guarantee that the water are likely to be only two
will soon recede from the things that can be done:
cave with months left in attempt to pump the water
Thailand's rainy season. down and search for alter-
Divers have been unable native entrances.
to navigate passages filled Drilling would be extremely
with muddy water, and res- Rescue personnel walk out of the entrance to a cave where it's believed that 12 soccer team difficult for a number of
cuers are seeking alterna- members went missing, Thursday, June 28, 2018, in northern Thailand. reasons and could also
tive ways of entering the Associated Press take days to weeks, he
sprawling cave, hoping to said, adding that it was im-
find hidden shafts in the to flood severely in the deep inside the cave has Thursday's drilling from out- portant not to take need-
mountain that might offer rainy season. filled with water, blocking side the cave was aimed less risks.
a back door into the cav- Still, authorities have ex- searchers from proceeding at removing water from Mirza said the boys' youth
erns. pressed hope there are dry further into the cave com- where it was accessible — and health are to their ad-
Deputy national police places on higher ground plex. near the cave's entrance, vantage and if the cave is
chief Wirachai Songmet- within the cave where the Giant pumps attached to where equipment can be not too cold, they should
ta said he will join more group may be able to wait. long hoses were deployed easily deployed — in hopes be able to survive four to
than 600 people combing Thai searchers have been to drain that chamber, but of draining it away from ar- five days with no water and
the mountain for possible joined by a U.S. military could not keep up with eas further inside the cave, a month or more with wa-
cracks. A few shafts that team and British cave ex- flooding caused by the said Suratin Chaichompoo, ter but no food.q
were found were ruled out, perts, along with several heavy rains. Water backed president of the Thai Well
but Interior Minister Anu- other private teams of for- up into areas leading from Water Association. But wa-
pong Paojinda said rescu- eign "cavers." the cave entrance to the ter levels continued to rise.
ers are still looking at three At a morning briefing, Thai filled chamber, causing a The U.S. Indo-Pacific Com-
locations. They will explore SEAL divers explained to further disruption to the res- mand in Hawaii confirmed
further with the geological the U.S. team that water cue effort. that a U.S. team of about
department using equip- levels had been rising over- Authorities also had to 30 people was sent to assist
ment such as small cam- night at a rate of about 15 switch off the power to the the search. Navy Lt. Cmdr.
eras, he said. centimeters (6 inches) per pumps for safety as teams Nicole Schwegman said
The missing boys and hour, complicating efforts worked to raise the power Wednesday that the team
coach entered the Tham to squeeze through tight cables above the floodwa- had been sent at the re-
Luang Nang Non cave in passages, some of which ters. quest of Thailand's govern-
Chiang Rai province after require divers to contort "There's not much we can ment.
a soccer game on Satur- their bodies around L- do right now," Interior Min- Some parents of the miss-
day afternoon. The cave shaped bends. ister Anupong said. "We ing children have been
complex extends several Near-constant rains have have to wait for the water spending the nights in tents
kilometers (miles) with nar- stalled search efforts inside level to decline. (Divers) outside the cave entrance
row passageways and un- the cave by raising wa- can't do anything right as rain pours. On Thursday
even ground and is known ter levels. A key chamber now." morning, a Buddhist monk