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Rain Resumes, Thai Cave Rescue Appears Imminent

by VOA News

   Thai authorities asked members of the press to leave the area near the
   entrance of the cave where 12 boys and their coach have been trapped
   for two weeks, fueling speculation Sunday morning that a rescue attempt
   could be imminent.
   Dozens of divers arrived at the Tham Luang cave Sunday morning, and
   officials set up more tarpaulin sheets blocking off the divers'
   operating area.
   Rain began falling Saturday and Thai officials had said they are
   worried that heavy monsoon rain could soon make the job even more
   difficult and they may need to quickly rescue the boys and the soccer
   coach from a partially flooded cave by helping them make risky dives to
   safety.

   The rain appears to be forcing the hand of emergency officials
   considering a difficult and dangerous effort to rescue the youngsters.

   Meanwhile, the oxygen level in the cave has dropped, taxing the bodies
   of the captives who have had little to eat or drink while they were
   missing from June 23 to Monday, when they were located deep within the
   10-kilometer cave system in northern Thailand.

   Constant pumping has reduced the water level inside the cave, but new
   rain could not only re-flood the area, but also strengthen the water
   currents in the narrow passages though which rescuers and the boys must
   swim with the help of diving gear to exit the cave.

   One volunteer, an expert diver, died Thursday while laying spare air
   tanks along the escape route through narrow, winding flooded passages.
   Saman Gunan, a former Navy SEAL, ran out of air and drowned on his swim
   back out of the cave. His death underscores the difficulty of training
   boys who have not learned to swim and have no experience with diving
   equipment to make a six-hour trip through conditions that challenge
   very experienced divers.

   In the five days since they were found in the cave, the boys have
   written notes to their families expressing optimism and encouraging
   them not to worry. The 25-year-old soccer coach has written as well,
   thanking people for support and apologizing to the parents of the boys.

   Outside the cave, an army of experts, volunteers and reporters has
   gathered in hopes of seeing the boys emerge alive.