After nine days of searching, British divers may have located the 12 students on a football team trapped with their coach at Tam Luang Cave in Thailand, but the Toddlers' Odyssey now seems to begin as options for safe transport are few.
Specifically, their transportation depends on the rains of the next few days, as stated by the coordinator of the American National Cave Rescue Committee, Anmar Mirza.
The fastest and at the same time dangerous solution is for the children to dive.
At the same time, Anmar Mirza wondered,
"Are they in a safe place inside the cave even if the water level continues to rise? "If they are safe, then the best option is probably to provide them with supplies so that they can survive until other solutions are considered."
Their release can take months…
The task of rescuing them is difficult as local officials estimate that the children and their coach may spend months to see the light of day.
The Thai military says in a statement that "boys trapped in the cave will have to learn to dive or wait for months for the floods to subside."
Officer Aphakorn Yoo-kongkaew told reporters today that they gave food to the children and the necessary care after consultation with doctors.
"Do not worry, we will take care of them and do our best for them all to be safe."
The medical teams that approached the children claim that they are slightly injured. In fact, there are two doctors who have stated their intention to stay with the young students for as long as it takes until their release operation is completed.
It is noted that teams of foreign experts from Australia, Britain, Japan, China, as well as about 30 American soldiers are supporting the efforts of about 1.000 Thai rescuers who have been mobilized to free the children and their coach.
Special uniforms to avoid hypothermia
Veteran diver and president of Lifeguard Systems in the USA, Butch Hendricks said that if children are not afraid of water, then they can be provided with equipment that allows them to breathe and a mask that will cover their entire face. You may need itν special diving suits to prevent hypothermia. He even explained that the system will function as a relay and each boy will pass from the hands of one rescuer to another.
It is noted that "Tam Luang" is considered one of the largest caves in Thailand, but it is very difficult to navigate as its corridors are narrow.