Thai cave rescue - LIVE: Mission put on hold 'for at least 10 hours' after four of 12 boys saved by divers
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The painstaking mission to rescue 12 Thai boys and their football coach from a flooded cave complex has been paused for up to 20 hours as divers rest and replenish their supplies.
Four of the children have so far been rescued and taken to hospital, while others have undergone health assessments inside the cave.
Officials in Chiang Rai described Sunday as “D-Day”, with expert divers facing a race against time to free the group, who have been trapped for more than a fortnight, before monsoon rains return.
The children will need to be led through the Tham Luang cave, which consists of a series of narrow, waterlogged passageways, for around two-and-a-half miles in poor visibility.
Even the most experienced divers find the route challenging, and a former Thai Navy Seal died on Friday trying to make the journey.
The rescue has become even more urgent following news heavy rains are expected to return to the region, which could shrink the air pocket where the team has been trapped to less than 10 square metres.
A senior member of the rescue team has confirmed to Reuters six boys have been freed from the cave.
“I have received information that six have exited the cave,” the worker told the news agency.
Another ambulance has been sighted leaving the scene of the rescue operation.
The head of the rescue operation has told reporters the healthiest boys have been removed from the cave first.
Authorities now say the mission has been put on hold, to allow divers time to recover following rescue efforts this evening.
The next phase of the operation is expected to start in 10 to 20 hours’ time.
Government officials have clarified at a press conference that only four boys have been pulled from the cave so far.
While Reuters news agency had previously quoted a senior member of the rescue team as saying six boys had been extricated, authorities subsequently said only four had been rescued.
The British Cave Rescue Council (BCRC) says seven divers from the UK with “expertise in cave diving” are assisting the rescue operation.
Two elite British divers, Rick Stanton and John Volanthen, were the first rescuers to reach the group on Monday night and are believed to be part of the team.
“The UK divers are part of the core team, so they will be actively involved and that will include escorting each child out through the flooded passage,” a BCRC spokesman said.
“The operation is being supervised by the Thai authorities. They have had to make a quick decision because they are really concerned about the water level rising.”
An alternative rescue plan involving a giant plastic tube is being tested to see if it can be used if divers fail to reach the remaining boys.
Our exclusive report from the scene explains how the father and daughter team behind the device hope it could help.
The rescue effort is still suspended as divers rest and replenish their supplies. The pause could go on for up to 17 hours from now. Read all the latest here
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