Not such good news

I can't imagine what the football coach was thinking, taking young boys into such a dangerous place. It is very sad about the diver who died and I hope they manage to get the boys out safely.

They have started an operation to try to bring them out. Not sure yet how.

BlueBelle: here in Italy, this is the main news item all day. People really care here.

jaycee5....Thanks for that. It's validating for me that the notion of drilling down is being considered as an option and that Elan Musk and some of the other rescuers think so to.

Like everyone here, I'm following their story and worrying constantly about the fate of those boys. My heart goes out to all of those involved, especially the parents. With the deadline closing in, it behooves rescuers to start thinking outside the box....God willing someone will come up with a better way to get them out alive and safe!

Neither me nor DH sleep very well and last night between us we designed a long tube filled with air that the boys could be hauled /guided through
(in a kind of daisy chain format) .
This ( among plenty other things) keeps me awake at night .

Please let someone do something xx

It is a terrible situation. I read that in one part of the tunnel complex the divers have to take off their oxygen tank and push it through ahead of them, then put it back on again once through the narrowest bit of tunnel. I can't imagine how boys who cannot even swim could do that and apparently the visibility is virtually nil and it is like swimming through coffee. I do hope the boys and their coach get out alive but with oxygen running out and storms coming I can't see it happening and wonder if it would be safer to stay put for four months until they can walk out if there would be enough oxygen for them and enough food could be taken in to keep them going. I don't think the boys realise how dangerous a situation they are in. Their families nerves must be in shreds. I look in the paper every day to see how they are getting on and if they can pump more water out of the cave.

Along with the rest of the world I am thinking of and praying for these boys as the hours go by, hoping they can somehow survive this.

It will be a deep tragedy if they don't make it and in the meantime their ordeal has been/is awful. Poor lads. I hope some way of helping them can be found but it's not looking good. God Bless them and their families.

I can't think of anything else really. I keep seeing those lovely faces, when they know they're on camera, one or two holding up the 'V' for Victory sign and those with their hands in a prayer position of greeting. I'm trying to maintain a positive view by visualizing all of the boys being brought out of the cave.

Poor little souls, I didn't think it was so bad

Right first of all I have already said my words were clumsy when I said about interest I was not meaning people weren’t interested individually, just that some subjects take off in bucket loads this didn’t, but as I afterwards said it wasn’t meant as a reprimand at all I just worded it badly ......I can’t keep saying it
Anyway getting back to the cave and the reason for going in
I m sure it’s a thing many people do, look at all the caves and pot holes people go in in the uk, yes I know this was different and not organised but I think it is something that wasn’t unusually, I remember going down Wooky Hole a big open cave area but feeling really tentertive and not wanting to go too far Again I went into a cave system in Kuala Lumper that lots of tourists go to and remember how scary and damp and foreboding it felt
I m sure this was a simple adventure that went badly wrong The young man has written to the parents and apologised they have all said they forgive him if they do get out alive it will be on his shoulders for ever poor man I think it’s very harsh to talk about prosecutions

I really hope for a positive outcome. This must be so frightening for those children most of whom cannot swim. I don't see how they will have the energy to swim for that long as well as being scared if they can't swim. I also read that the water is muddy or sandy with no visability which makes it harder. One of my nightmares is being stuck in a cave and having to swim through passages. I can't watch films with things like that. Reading about the young coach he sounds like a decent guy who didn't think things through, Thailand is not really known for being health and safety conscious. My heart goes out to everyone involved especially the diver who lost his life. All those people from different countries are risking their lives too.

they are considering buddy divers-an experienced diver per child,this is a 2 mile long journey and can take up to six hours.

Jaycee5... :0( we surely do ...

willa45 They are looking at boring a hole more at the week end when Elon Musk's borehole company arrives. A large part of the various armies are working from above and they have tried to dig in various places.
Pebbles77 We have a shameful press.

I’m sure that many of us are reading this thread and watching the progress of this terrible event. I haven’t felt I could add much to the discussion that hasn’t already been said BlueBelle and am sure I’m not alone. Please don’t think that we aren’t interested.

Would it be possible to drill an escape route from the top and get them out that way? The boys are trapped some 300 meters deeper down than the Chilean miners .....no small thing, but would that be too much of a difference to be a deterrent?

well firstly a mine would already have some reinforcements wouldn't it? stability wise its a different kettle of fish.

they're dealing with totally different geology to the mine.

It would be an entirely different process. With the risk being that the disturbance causes the whole cave to collapse I would expect.

by that, I am agreeing with your post notanan, if that didn't seem clear from mine.

Some things are so horrific that words can seem trite
It doesn't mean that we are not thinking of them, their families and everyone trying to rescue them.

A newspaper is printing dispicable comments that are absolutely vile .... shame on them .. seriously I wish I could do something to see them dissapear from view with their rubbish rag ... it’s discpicavlr and makes me ashamed to be british when you see how they have allowed such dispicable monsters print such stuff about those poor children... I hope the newspaper gets it’s just deserts and is no more ...shame on them !!!

I m surprised so few people seem interested on GN

That's not fair.

Some things are so horrific that words can seem trite. I think the whole country is following this story but really what is there to say? It's awful. We all agree on that.

The technicalities of the rescue can be discussed but lets be honest do you really want to say out loud (or on type) how this could end if the worst case scenario plays out? because I don't!

I m surprised so few people seem interested on GN
I think we are all concerned and hoping for a good outcome Bluebelle, and many more people may read the thread than contribute to it.

I keep thinking about the Chilean miners who were trapped several hundred meters underground, yet survived for 69 days.

International/Chilean rescuers drilled a bore hole and were able to drop down food, oxygen and supplies for weeks until a second, wider escape route could be completed (in a little less than two months). They used an escape pod similar to a lift, and brought them up one at a time.

Would it be possible to drill an escape route from the top and get them out that way? The boys are trapped some 300 meters deeper down than the Chilean miners .....no small thing, but would that be too much of a difference to be a deterrent?
Are there any compelling reasons why drilling down 1000 meters instead of 700 m makes it any less feasible?
I also fear that the scuba plan is too risky. At least one of the seals said there will be more casualties if they decide to go that route. At this point, they need to consider creative alternatives because they're fast running out of time. I continue praying for them every day ..... it's never too late until it is.

Bluebell and maryeliza Totally agree. I cannot understand anyone jumping straight to judgment. They will suffered enough. They are all relatively young and it was reported that the coach was suffering most severely with malnutrition as he had given his food to the boys.
Prosecution would be about punishment and teaching a lesson. He has already had that in spades.
I also read a psychologist saying that it will be harder for him to overcome the trauma than the boys as he will feel responsible.
It is a time for compassion for all.

for those not understanding -how-flash floods are literally that.could be sunny and clear and up the road it is raining cats and dogs.water heads to lowest point.
was stuck on a mountain years ago.full moon gazillion stars then fast water lots of it all around us.add a cave and its horrifying.diving is dangerous under the best of conditions.
many blessings and hope for these poor boys.

It's dreadful isn't it? None of us can breathe a sigh of relief until they are all safely out. Their families must be so worried.