"In the Thai cave, the danger comes from the water". Here is how the rescue of the underground divers

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The rescuers drain the water with the pumps, but in Thailand we are in the monsoon season and the flood that flooded the caves has not yet retired . "Under normal conditions – explains Roberto Antonini, regional delegate of Friuli Venezia Giulia Speleological Rescue and member of the national coordination – he expects the water to flow and you can intervene, reaching the people caught in The rescue in this case does not seem easy due to the weather situation, the monsoon rains could last for months and the cave would remain flooded during all this period.Other more complete floods could also increase the levels. The water is then cloudy, muddy and the siphons of this cave are very long.The boys were lucky because they were in a point not completely flooded.To get out, a solution could be to detect accurately the progress of the cave and dig a hole, enough dimensions, necessary for the recovery of people.
The possibility of pbading them through siphons flooded is difficult to implement and could involve considerable risk. If the hypothesis of excavation is not feasible, it is necessary to wait until the cavern is sufficiently emptied. "

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If on one side it is a danger, on the other hand it is the same water that allowed the boys and their coach inside the Tham Luang cave not to incur the risk of dehydration, especially when there are emergency situations in the caves, as well as d & # 39; hypothermia and lack of food: "Each cave has varying environmental conditions, so it's hard to say a priori how much you'll survive. Much depends on temperature and equipment – Sauro recalls – in some cases it is easily reached below freezing temperatures, but in tropical caves, such as one where boys are in Thailand, temperatures can even reach 20 ° C. This does not completely rule out the risk of hypothermia, especially if you stay stuck for a long time and in the absence of food. "

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Up to now, for boys, it was probably important to be together:" Sharing the experience, even if dramatic, has them allowed to warm up and keep morale high. " The help was also the opportunity to find dry areas where to take refuge: "In all the caves there are so-called fossil zones in which the water of the rivers and streams no longer pbades, in areas generally elevated – says Sauro – these areas abandoned by the watercourse function as real underground shelters. "
The recovery operations, says the & # 39; expert, requires a very high level of specialization: " In Italy, for example, only the National Corps of Rescue and Speleological Assistance (Cnsas) has the necessary technical skills, but also the risk badessment I, to work in deep and difficult caves. "

In this case, the body of the underground divers, would begin by careful study of the situation and the environment. "First and foremost the length and width of the underwater section and the absence of unsafe conditions, such as the presence of logs carried by the water, if our operators are safe – explains Walter Milan responsible for the communication of the National Corps of Rescue and Alpine Speleology – they usually install a guide line, an "Ariane wire", useful for not losing the orientation when the visibility is not good.Allowed the injured, you can help them, feed them and put children in touch with their parents through an audio and video connection.Once of force, it is possible to start the recovery. "The Alpine Rescue Speleosub proceed as follows: the wounded is placed on a board (Ked), with a good facial mask that helps you to breathe dorsal even if you do not have experience of diving, and that you are transported 'by the b by two operators. They did it in many situations, to recover, for example, scattered in the caves of Oliero. "For us, it's the safest way: even the best swimmer in the world, debilitated after days spent under these conditions, could not dive," concludes Milan.