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The successful rescue of eight of the 12 boys who had been trapped in a cave in Thailand since June 23 – four were saved only Monday and the rescue of the last five was ongoing Tuesday – renewed hope that the whole group will be able, finally, come safe and sound from there. The success of the operation so far has also created the prospect that the mission that could have taken months to come could be successfully completed in a matter of days – much shorter than originally planned.
Operations performed better and faster than expected, but the authorities are cautious in the spread and
In the early stages of the operation, local authorities and experts thought to keep the group in the cave until the end of the monsoon period in the area – it was thought that they would have waited up to four months for on-site rescue. But the rainiest season in the country is just beginning and it is possible that the flood that left them stuck in the cave worsens in the coming days.
What allowed relief operations to move forward? the decrease in rainfall and water level – after draining 128 million liters of the site. Rescuers have tried to get the water out of the area and, according to the chief of the operation, the level of water in the interior is the lowest recorded up to here . "There is not a day when we are more prepared than today," said Narongsak Osottanakorn, chief of operations.
Divers were able to remove four more boys from the cave complex on Monday, where they were detained in Thailand, according to reports from the country's navy. With that, eight of the 13 members of the group have already been saved. Four other boys and their 25-year-old football coach remain on the scene.
According to a source related to the operation, all boys rescued on Monday are in good health. The operation was again interrupted to allow rescuers to rest, plan the next step and replace the air cylinders. The team's plan is for the others to be withdrawn on Tuesday. Four of the boys were rescued on Sunday and returned to a local hospital – according to the authorities, they were doing well.
In total, 90 divers are involved in the rescue operation – 40 Thais and 50 foreigners. The mission is considered a high risk and has been anticipated because of the danger that the waters will rise again with new rains striking the region.
The authorities fear, however, not to generate false hopes. After all, the most up-to-date information indicates that four children and their coach have not yet been rescued successfully.
Until now, the identity of the children who were rescued – initially, not even their parents were revealed.
Only Tuesday the first four rescued children were able to see their parents, at a distance, through a window in the hospital where they are hospitalized to recover from the period when they were imprisoned in the cave.
The BBC has sought professionals from its global service in Thailand to understand the cultural motivations that may be behind this caution in disclosing information.
There are at least three – understand below.
Respect
Osottanakorn said very clearly, after the first phase of rescue completed "much more successfully than expected" that the identity of the rescued children would not be revealed out of respect for the families whose children remain in prison.
The parents are all together in a camp at the entrance to the cave. Authorities do not want this, while some celebrate the joy of seeing their children saved, others find it anxious to follow the rest of the operations minute after minute.
Around the cave are occupied by family camps and by the presence of volunteers and curious
Photo: Getty Images / BBC News Brazil
Since the discovery of the disappearance of 12 teenagers and their trainer, the closest town to the cave, Maesai, was very close.
Volunteers volunteered to provide food and psychological support to the families of the youth, as well as to raise funds to help relatives who had to leave their jobs to monitor the operations.
Graphic
Photo: BBC News Brazil
Information Control
The Thai authorities also want to establish a "cordon sanitaire" to prevent leakage of information that could hinder the rescue or improve the sensitivity of the family.
Mobile phone access in the camp, for example, is reserved for some members of the rescue team. The information is shared with only a small group of people.
Graphic
Photo: BBC News Brazil
We are also worried about the work of the press. On Sunday, Narongsak Osottanakorn criticized the performance of some vehicles that used radio reports and used drones to gain access to restricted areas.
The parents of the children follow the advice of the authorities and also remain reserved.
Gratitude
Dozens of people visited the vicinity of the hospital where they went to children supported saved
There is a Thai saying: "You will avoid offending those who help you by asking for more than it gives you."
Photo: Getty Images / BBC News Brazil
