Foreign soldiers join rescue for Thai children trapped in cave

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A team of US military personnel and British divers joined rescue efforts at a flooded cave in northern Thailand, where 12 children and their football coach have been trapped for five days as heavy overnight rains hampered the search.

Flood waters seeped into a second chamber of the Tham Luang cave and forced some of the rescue divers to turn back, according to officials.

The children, aged between 11 and 16, went into the cave Saturday and were trapped when heavy rains clogged the main entrance.

Two British cave-divers (2nd and 3rd L) with Thai army soldiers and local rescue personnel are searching for new openings in the mountain of Khun Nam Nang Non Forest Park in Chiang Rai Province, June 28, 2018, during rescue operation for a missing children's football team and their coach in Tham Luang cave. /VCG Photo

Around 1,000 Navy SEAL divers, police, soldiers, border guards and officials have been mobilized for the around-the-clock rescue in a remote and mountainous part of Chiang Rai Province near the Laos and Myanmar borders.

A team of American military personnel from the US Pacific Command, including pararescue and survival specialists, arrived at the site overnight to help rescue operations, said embassy spokeswoman Jillian Bonnardeaux.

"Operators are trained in personnel recovery tactics and techniques and procedures," said she.

"Essentially what they're looking at is assessing with the Thai authorities the potential courses of action and complementing the efforts underway."

Rescue personnel are at the opening of the Tham Luang cave in Khun Nam Nang Non Forest Park in Chiang Rai, June 27, 2018, while the operation continues for a missing children's football team and their coach. /VCG Photo

Three British cave diving experts made a second attempt at entering the cave through chimneys Thursday after they tried to go in through the main entrance on the day before but were turned around by rushing flood waters.

Sniffer dogs

At nearly 10 kilometers (six miles), Tham Luang cave is one of the longest in Thailand and has the reputation of being one of the toughest, even among experienced divers.

It frequently floods during Thailand's monsoon season between July and November, rendering some of its narrow passages difficult to pass through.

There are several air pockets within the complex and the kids are believed to be in a large chamber in the middle of the cave.

Local rescue team arrive in a staging area in the mountain of Khun Nam Nang Non Forest Park searching for new openings to Tham Luang cave during rescue operation, June 28, 2018. /VCG Photo

But fast-running and murky flood waters have prevented rescue divers from reaching them, and heavy rains continue to seep into the cave through narrow openings on the sides and through the main entrance.

"The water is like cafe latte; you can't see anything, and there's a very strong flow which doesn't make it easy," said Ben Reymenants, owner of Blue Label Diving in Thailand. He was assisting with the search.

High-pressure water pumps shipped in from Bangkok were set up but water levels continued to rise Thursday.

Officials said they planned to drill a hole into the cave on Friday and dispatched drones to find an ideal site for the hole.

"It's difficult to drill vertically, if you go up the mountain and drill, there are high risks (of collapse)," said Suttisak Soralump, a geotechnical expert from Kasetsart University.

Border guards scoured the site for new openings into the cave and the boys' families brought clothing belonging to the kids to help sniffer dogs find the team.

Relatives pray as they keep vigil near Than Luang cave, June 28, 2018, while personnel conduct the rescue operation for a missing children's football team and their coach. /VCG Photo

Exhausted relatives have been camped out near the cave's entrance for days desperately awaiting news on the missing team and their 25-year-old coach.

"I'm sad. I want (my son) to be safe, we've heard nothing from officials yet," said Thinnakorn, the father of a 12-year-old in the cave.

The harrowing search has captivated Thailand, where local media is blanketed with coverage of the boys.

A government spokesman said Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha would visit the site in the coming days.

"He wants to offer moral support to parents of the missing boys and the coach and all the officials working there," Sunsern Kaewkumnerd said.

A forecaster in Chiang Mai said rains were expected to ease Thursday afternoon and that visibility could improve as the fog lifts.

Source(s): AFP