Buddhist monk entered cave to meditate, it started to rain and was trapped underwater

Divers on Wednesday rescued a Buddhist monk who spent four days trapped in a flooded cave in the north Thailandsaid a provincial official. Phra manas, 46, entered the cave Join Phra Sai Ngam, in the province of Phitsanulok, saturday to meditate, explained Therayuth Chandithawong, head of the provincial office of Disaster prevention and mitigation.

In ThailandMany caves have shrines in places considered sacred.

While the monk was inside, heavy rains from a summer storm dramatically increased the water level inside, blocking the entrance and varying it to a raised area inside, he added. Therayuth.

The incident and its happy ending are reminiscent of the odyssey that members of the “Wild Boars” football team went through in 2018., who were trapped for more than two weeks in a cave in the province of Chiang rai, also in the north. Species from Armada Thailand, an international team of specialist divers and hundreds of helpers carried out the complicated rescue of the 12 children and their coach.

Phra manas pilgrims every April from another province to meditate in the cave of Join Phra Sai Ngam, He said Therayuth. When the monk did not return after the rains, the villagers notified the local authorities.

Hundreds of rescuers, including divers, doctors and other specialists, came to the scene. Seventeen divers participated in the operation and seven entered the cave on Wednesday morning when the rains stopped and they found the monk, who was put on a diving mask and led to a safe area after diving a 12-meter (39-foot) stretch.

Images on the relief unit’s Facebook page showed the monk sitting inside the cave surrounded by lifeguards and taking his blood pressure. “At 11:30 am we managed to save Phra Manas from the caveThe unit said. One of the rescuers confirmed that the monk was outside the cave and receiving first aid.

Thailand made global headlines in 2018 with the high-profile rescue of 12 Thai children and their soccer coach from a flooded cave in the northern town of Chiang rai.

(With information from AP and local media) .-

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