A medical assessment of the stranded Thai soccer team on Thursday concluded it is too dangerous to attempt a rescue operation.
Thai Navy SEALs who spoke to CNN on the condition of anonymity confirmed that the boys were not physically ready to attempt a rescue, having been trapped for 12 days in the flooded cave in northern Thailand. A separate doctor’s report revealed that two of the boys and their 25-year-old coach are suffering from exhaustion and malnutrition.
The boys have now been provided with food, foil blankets, and medical attention, while rescue teams are also trying to run cables through the cave tunnel so they can contact their families. Chiang Rai provincial Governor, Narongsak Osatanakorn, maintained on Thursday that the boys remained in “good health and are smiling and playing around.
“This morning, I have asked for 13 sets of (diving) equipment to be prepared and checked the equipment lists and place them inside (the cave) in case we have to bring them out in this condition with less than 100 percent readiness,” he said.
Multiple rescue operations to extricate the team are now underway, although a further deluge of rain is expected that could raise the water to dangerous levels. Rescue workers are currently pumping out millions of liters of water out the cave complex every day, although the only way boys can escape is by diving through the murky water.
“What we worry most about is the weather,” he continued. “We can’t risk having the flood back into the cave… We are calculating how much time we have it if rains, how many hours and days.”
Thai Navy Seals are currently teaching the boys how to dive in case they choose to guide them out the waters, although such an operation is a very high risk as many of the children cannot swim or dive and are also likely to be frightened by the unpredictable waters and the dark tunnels.
Because of the potential risk, authorities are also looking at other extraction methods. According to the BBC,
the “team are exploring the forested mountain land above the cave complex to see if they can find a chimney down to the cavern sheltering the boys” and “have enlisted the help of bird-watchers, who are specialists in finding hidden holes.”
The team was located on Monday by rescue divers after nine days missing, sparking overjoyed reactions from their family and friends. Updates on the rescue effort have been subject international attention, although authorities have warned that an escape may take months to carry out safely.
Follow Ben Kew on Facebook, Twitter at @ben_kew, or email him at bkew@breitbart.com.
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