All 12 Thai boys trapped in underground cave successfully rescued!

For days, we’ve been waiting to hear the news of the Thai boys rescued from the cave they were trapped in for 18 long days. And finally, there’s reason to celebrate! All 12 members of the Wild Boars football team, along with their coach, have been safely rescued, according to the BBC. 

Thai Boys Rescued as the World Rejoices!

The rescue operation started three days ago, with a team consisting of 13 foreign cave diving experts tasked with the dangerous mission of getting the boys and their coach out safely. 

Each day of the rescue, divers embarked on harrowing journeys in and out of the cave network that lasted between nine to twelve hours. 

Two divers accompanied every single boy out of the cave complex. And today, 10 July, at around 7pm local time, the complicated rescue mission came to a successful end. 

In a Facebook post, the Thai Navy SEALS summed up the mood: “Today the Wild Boar pack will be reunited. Hooyah!”

Here they are – all 12 of them and their coach! | Image credit: CNA/Rafa Estrada (screengrab)

A Quick Summary of Events

According to a report from The Guardian: 

• The last batch of rescued boys are being airlifted to hospital. 
• The eight boys rescued on Sunday and Monday are in good spirits. However, two of them are showing signs of pneumonia, and all were running temperatures when they arrived. 
• Doctors will put the rescued boys in isolation to prevent the risk of infection. The first batch has seen their parents through a glass window. 
• They are too weak to eat the delicious but rich food they’ve been asking for. For now, they are on a diet of bread, porridge and chocolate. 
• Even though FIFA invited the boys to watch the World Cup finals in Russia on Sunday, they’ll miss it. Doctors need to monitor the boys in hospital for at least a week more.  

Absolute Heroes

Where does one even start to begin to thank the INCREDIBLE rescue team behind this effort? These brave men have tirelessly toiled for days in an unimaginably dangerous journey to bring these boys and their coach out safely. 

And let’s not forget Saman Kunan, the Ex-SEAL diver who died while trying to lay oxygen tanks along the escape route. He will be an eternal hero. 

Here at theAsianparent, we celebrate along with the rest of the world at this incredible rescue that will go down in history as a modern-day miracle. Our utmost respect goes out to the rescue team. And we send love and well wishes to the boys, the coach, and their families! 

Sources: The Guardian, BBC