Over the last couple of weeks, we’ve been witnessing the story of twelve boys, aged 11 to 16, from Thailand and their coach, aged 25, who had gone missing and the desperate efforts to rescue them.
It has been a story full of ups and downs, tribulations and triumphs, and visceral human drama that we are more used to seeing in works of fiction.
This article aims to build a timeline of the events leading up to their discovery and the ongoing rescue operations by authorities and volunteers, working tirelessly around the clock to defy the odds.
23 June
The mother of one of the twelve boys reported them missing to the authorities, stating that she had not heard from them since they entered a six-mile long cave named Tham Luang Nang Non. Their coach was also reported missing.
A search concluded that the boys might be trapped in the cave due to heavy rains and a flash flood, which cut off the main entrance to the cave, outside which their shoes and bicycles were found.
24 June
A search by the police and park officials lead to the discovery of hand and footprints, and it was believed that the flood may have deterred the boys from leaving the cave.
It was at this point that a vigil was held outside the cave by friends and family.
Source: Sky News
25 June
At this point, Thai Navy Seals began diving into the cave to try reach the boys and provide them with food rations. There was speculation that they may have managed to flee to the safety of an elevated air pocket within the cave. This pocket is one that carries the nickname, Pattaya Beach.
26 June
The divers’ efforts were hindered by rushing floodwaters and the former Commander in Chief of the Royal Thai Army and current Prime Minister of Thailand, Prayuth Chan Ocha openly called for support from anyone able and willing.
27 June
The 132 Thai army, navy, and police officials on the site were joined by more than 30 American military personnel, 17 from US Air Force Rescue, three British divers, and other experts from Japan, Australia, and China.
However, their efforts were slowed down, almost to a standstill by bad weather and heavy flooding.
28 June
The search and rescue was temporarily halted due to limited space and dangerous conditions. However, drones were sent in to find alternate entrances to the caves, while pumps were put to use to drain the water as much as possible. Drones are very popular nowadays and used for different purposes. If you are planning to buy a drone for personal usage, you can start with this drone.
Source: Evening Standard
29 June
The rescue teams made a breakthrough when they discovered a possible alternate entry point into the cave.
Prayuth Chan Ocha visited the site to encourage rescue teams and families alike to keep hope alive.
Source: Zimbio
30 June
An improvement in the weather allowed rescue operations to make headway and for the divers to proceed deeper into the cave, while several practice evacuation drills were run, in case the boys were located.
1 July
The improved weather allowed for the setting up of an a base of operations within the caves by divers and more equipment such as oxygen tanks, and other supplies were carried in by the divers.
The governor of the Chiang Rai province, Narongsak Osottanakorne commented on the improving conditions and the progress of the rescue, stating that they would not stop until the boys were found.
2 July
In a dramatic turn, the boys and their coach were found 400 meters away from Pattaya Beach. The immediate priority was to provide them with food and first aid, along with creating a rescue plan to get them out.
However, authorities stated that the rescue could take months and secured about four months worth of supplies. Additionally, the boys and their coach would be taught to dive.
Source: Evening Standard
3 July
Worsening weather conditions threatened to worsen the flooding within cave, forcing the rescue efforts to be accelerated. Officials involved with the rescue stated that the boys and their coach may need to be brought out through the water, along the complex path the divers took to get to them before the weather gets any worse.
Despite the pumps working around the clock to drain water, it is expected that there will be some parts of the cave that cannot be drained. This makes the escape a daring and risky one with very high stakes.
4 July
A video released on the Thai Navy Special Forces Facebook page showed the boys in good health with smiles on their faces and foil blankets to keep them warm.
They will need to be extracted soon before the weather gets worse and makes rescue efforts even more complicated.
5 July
And that brings us to what we know so far. A round to the boys in the cave takes about 11 hours and is quite risky but they need to be extracted sooner, rather than later.
As the world waits with bated breath for any sign of good news, the weather forecast does not look good.
The story so far has been an example of the triumph of the human spirit against all odds and the power of cooperation between people.
Our heartfelt thoughts and prayers go out to any and all who were affected or impacted by this tragic turn of events, along with our hopes that the boys and their coach may be rescued successfully as soon as possible.
Hopefully tomorrow will bring better news.
The information presented in the article is mainly from the Young Post, along with other news sources such as CNN.
Header Image Source: Evening Standard
