Nine days after being trapped in a cave in Thailand, 12 boys and their football coach were found alive on Monday.
According to the Thai authorities, the missing persons were found by special forces of the Navy and are already safe. The group was reportedly trapped after torrential rain flooded the entrance to the cave.
Here are the details of the rescue operation that lasted more than a week:
Facing the water
Divers from the Thai navy, four British divers and the US military personnel participate in the operation.
The photo posted on Facebook shows the coach with the football team
Photo: Facebook / ekatol / BBC News Brazil
They swim in small spaces and can not go very far at the risk of running out of air.
The entrance was hampered by the darkness inside the cave and by the speed of the waters.
Muddy waters leave divers almost blind – they can only see a few inches in front of them.
The experiment was described as "swimming in iced coffee".
Pumps and Exercises
Powerful pumps used to reduce the level of water inside the cave have not been able to cope with incessant rains.
On Thursday, as the entrance to the cave was flooded, pumping was suspended and divers had to suspend their search.
Rescue teams then looked for other ways to access the cave and reduce the internal water levels.
Rocks were drilled to drain the water and allow the divers to resume their research, but the thickness of the cave walls made the mission difficult.
Another option was to make a hole in the cave and open a hallway to save the boys.
But the idea was not feasible, because mountains and forests would prevent the movement of large drills.
Drones and Robots
Other equipment is used by rescue teams, which include military, police and hundreds of volunteers.
UAVs with heat detectors flew over the cave to locate possible access points. An underwater robot provided information on the depth of water and the conditions in the cave.
There is no device capable of detecting people in such deep areas.
He decided to send cameras to the cave to try to contact the group.
Sniffing Dogs
The animals helped the research teams badyze the area above the cave complex for several kilometers in search of access points. According to the AFP agency, the dogs sniffed the clothes of the missing children before being taken to the scene.
Thai military trying to contain the elevation of waters inside the cave "
The parents of the children camp outside the cave since they were arrested on June 23rd.
Photo: AFP / BBC News Brazil
Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-Ocha visited the region and spoke to them on Friday.
Survival Kits
Dozens of "survival kits" containing food, cards and cell phones were sent to the cave on Friday, police said.
The teams threw kits into holes in the rocks above the caves. If the teams did not find the boys, it was possible to send the kits into underground rivers.
A police team was able to enter one of these holes, found by two British, and discovered a large room that could take them to the complex. of the cave.
Police officer Kraiboon Sotsong told reporters that the kits contained a message ordering the boys to return the package to the waters, pointing to the map where they were.
Thailand has sent more than 1,000 people – between military and divers – looking for boys
After the relief of finding the living group, the operation to remove it from the cave can be long.
Heavy rainfall during this time of year can cause the flooding of several points of access to the cave for months.
Last week, local authorities said the boys would be trained to use diving equipment if they were to swim out of the cave.
But accomplishing the task can be extremely difficult, forcing teams to feed the group with food while they are looking for another safer exit point.
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