Thai cave rescue: 4 more boys rescued by divers
Bangkok, July 9 : Four more boys were rescued on Monday by divers from a flooded cave in northern Thailand, where 12 of them and their soccer coach have been trapped for more than two weeks, authorities said.
Four boys were taken out from the Tham Luang cave complex during a successful first operation on Sunday, while four more were safely brought out on the second day of rescue operation. Now, five people, including coach Ekapol Chantawong remain inside the cave.
The identities of the rescued boys were not confirmed. The group got trapped in the cave on June 23 after heavy rains caused flooding. They were found alive last week by divers.
The Thai Navy Seals confirmed the rescue. The public television broadcast live video of medivac helicopters landing close to a hospital in the city of Chiang Rai. They were believed to be ferrying the rescued boys, the BBC reported.
The same divers who managed to rescue the first group of boys were involved in the second operation. Officials said that conditions were as good as they were on Sunday and that rain did not affect water levels inside the cave.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha delayed a planned visit to the site so as not to disrupt the rescue mission. He had been due at the site in the evening.
Rescue mission chief Narongsak Osottanakorn said physical contact of the rescued with their loved ones would be avoided until a risk of infection had passed, though contact through glass or at a distance might be allowed.
A team of 90 expert divers -- 40 from Thailand and 50 from overseas -- are working in the cave system. They are guiding the boys through darkness and submerged passageways towards the mouth of the cave system.
The process includes a mixture of walking, wading, climbing and diving along guide ropes already in place. Wearing full-face masks, easier for novice divers than traditional respirators, each boy was being accompanied by two divers.
The toughest part is about halfway out at a section named "T-Junction", which is so tight the divers have to take off their air tanks to get through.
Beyond that a cavern -- called Chamber 3 -- has been turned into a forward base for the divers. The boys can rest there before making the last, easier walk out to the entrance.
The boys, aged between 11 and 16, were found inside the cave by British rescue divers a week ago, about 4 km from the cave mouth. They belong to a football club called the Wild Boars and became trapped during an excursion with their coach.
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Five to six opposition MLAs might cross over to Mahayuti in few months: NCP chief whip Anil Patil
Mumbai, Nov 24: There is unrest in the Maha Vikas Aghadi camp and its five to six MLAs might join the ruling Mahayuti in the next few months, claimed NCP chief whip Anil Patil, who has retained his Amalner assembly seat, on Sunday.
The MVA of Congress, NCP (SP) and Shiv Sena (UBT) suffered a crushing blow in the Maharashtra assembly polls, winning only 46 of the state's 288 seats. By contrast, the BJP-led ruling coalition, which also has NCP and Shiv Sena as partners, bagged an impressive 230 seats.
“There is tremendous unrest among some NCP (SP), Congress and Sena (UBT) MLAs who have been re-elected. Those having good relations with us have expressed concerns over MVA’s massive defeat,” Patil told Marathi news channel ABP Majha.
If one wants development works in his constituency, it is good to be in power, said the legislator from Ajit Pawar’s party.
“The MVA MLAs feel their future is uncertain. It shouldn’t be a surprise if five to six MLAs cross over to the Mahayuti in the next four months,” he said.
In the results of the Maharashtra polls declared on Saturday, BJP won in 132 constituencies, while its partners Shiv Sena and NCP walked away with 57 and 41 seats, respectively.
From the MVA camp, Shiv Sena (UBT) bagged 20 seats followed by Congress’ 16 and 10 by NCP (SP).
