
This story has shocked and captivated the world for the past couple weeks, but hopefully, it’s starting to come to a (happy) conclusion.
Rescuers in Thailand have finally been able to reach and remove several of the trapped young boys from a soccer team that has been stuck in an underground cave in the country for well over two weeks.
Overnight this weekend, rescuers — including Thailand’s own Navy SEAL unit — brought four of the boys on an eight-hour scuba diving trek to safety through water and up to the surface. Three of the four boys were then immediately airlifted to hospitals, while the fourth was taken by ambulance.
The priority was reportedly to get the weakest, most vulnerable boys out first — while there are still at least eight other boys and their coach remaining behind in the cave waiting to be rescued.
Footage from the scene shows some of the rescuers reaching the top and heading for hospitals with the first four boys (below):
The first boys from a youth football team trapped in a Thai cave for two weeks have been rescued, reports say #thamluangcave #thamluang #ถ้ำหลวง #13ชีวิตติดถ้ำ #13ชีวิตรà¸à¸”à¹à¸¥à¹‰à¸§ #พาหมูป่าà¸à¸¥à¸±à¸šà¸šà¹‰à¸²à¸™ #ThailandCaveRescue
— Howard Johnson (@Howardrjohnson) July 8, 2018
WATCH: BBC footage of another ambulance leaving cave site. Thai navy SEAL team say 4 of wild boar team have left cave #thamluangcave #thamluang #ถ้ำหลวง #13ชีวิตติดถ้ำ #13ชีวิตรà¸à¸”à¹à¸¥à¹‰à¸§ #พาหมูป่าà¸à¸¥à¸±à¸šà¸šà¹‰à¸²à¸™ #ThailandCaveRescue pic.twitter.com/rolgACeBiC
— Howard Johnson (@Howardrjohnson) July 8, 2018
The main hospital in Chiang Rai (about an hour from the #Thamlaung cave) where 2 ambulance have arrived. Thai Navy Seals say 4 boys have been rescued so far. #ThaiCaveRescue . We’ll bring you the latest on â¦@BBCWorldâ© â¦@BBCNewsâ© & â¦@bbcworldserviceâ© & online pic.twitter.com/4Hs5ar3PQb
— Nick Beake (@Beaking_News) July 8, 2018
LOOK: Thai Navy SEAL Facebook page reporting 4 of the wild boar football team are out of the cave – time stamp @ 19.47 local time #thamluangcave #thamluang #ถ้ำหลวง #13ชีวิตติดถ้ำ #13ชีวิตรà¸à¸”à¹à¸¥à¹‰à¸§ #พาหมูป่าà¸à¸¥à¸±à¸šà¸šà¹‰à¸²à¸™ #ThailandCaveRescue pic.twitter.com/UWNmSPZ3Ih
— Howard Johnson (@Howardrjohnson) July 8, 2018
WATCH: BBC footage of second ambulance leaving cave site amidst reports first boys from trapped team rescued #thamluangcave #thamluang #ถ้ำหลวง #13ชีวิตติดถ้ำ #13ชีวิตรà¸à¸”à¹à¸¥à¹‰à¸§ #พาหมูป่าà¸à¸¥à¸±à¸šà¸šà¹‰à¸²à¸™ #ThailandCaveRescue pic.twitter.com/03w67yu6QZ
— Howard Johnson (@Howardrjohnson) July 8, 2018
Wow.
The rest of the boys have apparently been taught how to scuba dive, too, and it appears as though they will soon be removed from the cave, too — although impending rains may ruin rescuers’ plans.
At least four of the boys are out — which is great news. But what a scary, uncertain situation still remains…
We’ll keep you updated as things progress from here.
[Image via Howard Johnson/Twitter.]
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