A team of international rescuers has听found the听听alive nine days after the group became trapped in a cave by floods. The team of 11- to 16-year-olds and their 25-year-old coach are said to be healthy, although the rescue isn't over yet.
The team was found about two miles deep into the听Tham Luang Nang Non cavern, located in the Chiang Rai province in the country鈥檚 north. And while rescuers have drilled a hole in the side of the cave and have pumped out muddy water for days so divers can reach the boys,听some passageways are still flooded.听
The governor of the Chiang Rai province, Narongsak Osottanakor, 听that the plan now is to find a way to get the team medical help and to stabilize them听by sending in a doctor who can dive. None of them are believed to be in critical condition, but they've been without food for nearly ten days now. 鈥淲e will take care of them until they can move,鈥澨齇sottanakor said.
The soccer team, called the Wild Boars, disappeared into the caves on June 23 for a group outing. A park officer notified rescuers after seeing the boys鈥 bicycles, soccer shoes, and backpacks near a cave entrance that was supposed to be off limits. During the rainy season from July to October, the four-mile long cave can be flooded with up to 16 feet of water.听Caving听and diving experts from the U.S., China, Australia, the United Kingdom, and Thailand鈥檚 own version of the Navy SEALS听had all spent days trying to reach the team.听But because it has rained almost nonstop since they went missing it was too dangerous.听On Monday, the downpour let up briefly, and rescuers were able to pump out enough water to find them about 1,000 feet from an elevated sand bar inside the cave called Pattaya Beach.听
For nine days, a听crowd of relatives and friends have held a nightly vigil near the entrance. On Monday night, when Governor Osottanakorn shared the news that rescuers had found the boys alive, the group听. Weather permitting, rescuers hope to have the boys safely out of the cave by Tuesday. 鈥漁ur mission [is]听not done yet,” Osottanakorn told reporters. 鈥淲e will work all night.”