Mission to rescue boys from Thai cave underway
Bangkok, July 8 : A perilous mission to evacuate 12 boys and their 25-year-old coach trapped deep inside a flooded cave in northern Thailand was underway on Sunday, according to authorities.
"Our readiness is at the highest today. Today is D-day," said Chiang Rai Governor, Narongsak Osotthanakorn.
At 10 a.m., an international contingent of 13 specialist divers descended into the watery network of underground tunnels below the Mae Sai mountains.
Rescuers have described the mission as a dwindling window of opportunity, with forecasters predicting the return of heavy monsoon rains in the coming days, effectively sealing off the Tham Luang Nang Non cave complex until October.
At the site of the caves, volunteers assisting in the operation described the rescue attempt as a "now or never" scenario.
The boys, aged 11 to 16, and their 25-year-old coach, are huddled together in a small chamber 4 km inside the cave, surrounded by flood water and with a limited supply of oxygen.
To reach them, divers will need to successfully navigate a network of sprawling narrow tunnels, with officials close to the operation suggesting rescuers will use a "buddy" system, with each diver paired with a child.
Extra oxygen tanks will also be positioned along the route, CNN reported.
On the road leading to the tunnels, a near continuous convoy of trucks and military vehicles delivered troops and medical equipment equipment, including a large cache of oxygen tanks .
On Saturday evening, numerous international military advisers could be seen entering the site, followed later by four monks.
Even if the divers are successful, it will be many hours before the fate of the boys and their rescuers will be known.
Thai authorities say it takes around 11 hours for divers to complete the round trip.
The boys went missing on June 23 after they had entered the cave complex during fine weather but became trapped when a sudden downpour flooded the narrow tunnels.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
UP: Misled by GPS navigation, car falls into river from partially constructed bridge, 3 dead
Bareilly (UP), Nov 24: Three people died when their car fell into the Ramganga river from a partially constructed bridge here on Sunday, police said, adding that they suspect the driver was misled by its navigation system into taking the unsafe route.
The accident occurred around 10 am on the Khalpur-Dataganj road when the victims were travelling from Bareilly to Dataganj in the Badaun district, they said.
"Earlier this year, floods had caused the front portion of the bridge to collapse into the river, but this change had not been updated in the system," Circle Officer Ashutosh Shivam said.
The driver was using a navigation system and did not realise that the bridge was unsafe, driving the car off the damaged section, the police said.
There were no safety barriers or warning signs on the approach to the damaged bridge, leading to the fatal accident, Shivam said.
Upon receiving information, police teams from Faridpur, Bareilly and Dataganj police station rushed to the spot. They recovered the vehicle and the bodies from the river, Shivam added.
The circle officer said that bodies had been sent for post-mortem. Further investigation into the matter is underway.
— Bareilly Police (@bareillypolice) November 24, 2024
