Terrifying details of Thai cave rescue revealed by divers

Divers involved in rescuing 12 Thai boys and their football coach from a flooded cave revealed extraordinary details of the dangerous operation.

A team of more than 150 people worked together to free the group from Tham Luang Cave. A system of limestone caves 6 miles long, in an operation that has scared even the most seasoned professionals.

New details of the rescue were revealed on Four Corners last night, including how it was decided which of the 12 boys was rescued. 19659004] "It's one of the most difficult and risky things I've done, not for my own safety, but for the people I'm responsible for," said the British diver Jason Mallinson. Corners

"I have never done anything so risky as that and I do not think I will ever do it again.But that was the only option we had, and we got it. We have taken. "

Mallinson was a" diving collector "responsible for getting the most dangerous pbadages through children in water so turbid that sometimes there was no visibility

" The probability of success was about as low as possible, "said Major Charles Hodges, Commander of the US Mission

"I really expected that we would accept losses, maybe three, four, maybe five would die."

During the perilous journey of three o'clock, each of the children was asleep to prevent him from panicking. The rescue was so dangerous that the Australian government negotiated the Thai authorities' immunity for Australians involved in sedating children in case something went wrong.

Expert divers Craig Challen and Richard "Harry" Harris have been hailed as Australian heroes. their pivotal roles in the rescue of the Thai football team

THAILAND BOYS RELEASED FROM CAVE MOURN, HONOR DIVER WHO DEATHED IN THE RESCUE MISSION

Harris was described as a "kingpin" of the operation, help evaluate children at different stages of the trip.

The trip was divided into nine sections and expert British divers were instructed to take them through the most complicated places, using guidelines to help them navigate in pbadages

dive with the kid. And depending on how the line is laid, we would have them either on the right side or on the left side, either by holding their backs or by holding their bads, "said Mallinson

He describes the process as "mentally exhausting", especially on the last day when there was no visibility.

"I had to have the guy really close to me because if 'If we hit him against a rock too strong and that he dislodged that mask and flooded his mask, he was a goner That's why we had to be very slow and cautious not to hit them against the rocks. "

Instead Mallinson said that he lay his head above the boy so that his head hit the rocks instead.

THE APOSTLE, A HURDLE FOR CERTAIN BOYS FROM THE THAÏ CAVE

The first divers had repeated the rescue in a local pool. , practicing maneuvers with volunteer children and evaluating if the risky operation was feasible.

"I was confident of taking me out, I was confident not to lose control of the line, I was confident of getting out the boy (but) I was not at 100 "At times, the children had their snorkel gear removed and were stretched in some areas and in other areas they were carried in harnesses. in very steep caves, as crossing these muddy areas would have been dangerous

Two divers were badigned to each child, so that at least one of them always held the child The Harris diver evaluated the children at different stages of the operation to make sure that they were in agreement to continue

"Without him, we would not have been able to do what we did, "said Mallinson." His bedside attitude when he was there with the kids and that, talking to them, calming them and things like that. "

" So yeah, he was the pivot of the operation. "

Although it was reported that Dr. Harris also decided which children went out first, fellow Aussie diver Callen said that it was not true. He said it was the decision of the boys, the coach and the Thai Navy SEALs who were with them. The group was informed of the operation and they decided who was the first to go out

"Harry did not choose them as was suggested, so I think they are their bravest men who came out first. "

Challen, a retired veterinarian from Perth, also revealed that he had almost missed the crucial phone call from the Thai government for their help

. (was) packed ready to go on a trip to the Nullarbor, "he said." Harry and I were en route the next day. And so, I had 45 minutes to get to the airport.

"At that time, I had to unpack everything I had, reconfigure and get the equipment I needed for this trip and leave."

He also revealed that the decision to save the Wild Boars team by diving them was a last resort.

Major Hodges said it would have taken four to five months to wait for the water to retreat.

We looked at numbers of about 1800 meals that we needed to get in there, "he said.

" So, there was not any. " 39 physical space in the cave to put 1,800 meals and that would be 18 separate diving missions

"We knew this was not an option because the rains would arrive too early for us to run all that." [19659003] Various other methods of extraction were proposed, including drilling or placing boys in nylon pods with air tanks, but the diving method was finally decided as the best Option

"I mean it's good news, but at the end of the day, we brought the kids back with their parents, and that's what counts in my mind," said Major Hodges

News.com.au.