Maybe someone can explain this to me…If they have 2 divers for each boy and I read there were 18 divers then why couldn’t they get 9 boys out (spaced out over time)? Is it possible they may try to get more out today?
The pics I’ve seen of the exit looks like the ‘pool’ in a section is 30 meters, and they probably have to go down 15-20 meters to get to the hole to the next room?
Of course, those sketches are probably just based on what the artist was told, but they have arrows and widths and depths.
I think they don’t risk taking more than 2 kids at a time because if something goes wrong with the kid in the beginning of the chain, the entire chain will be brought to a halt. And that could be very dangerous.
Those O2 tanks weigh a small fortune. Very heavy to drag along when walking. I read that the rescuers have to re-stage tanks along the route to lessen the stress on the guide divers.
Regular O2 tanks don’t last very long. Cave divers (and some rescue personnel) use special equipment called rebreathers which allows to pack more O2 per tank (or use smaller tanks per given dive). A rebreather works by trapping the CO2 exhaled and let the exhaled air, which still has a lot of O2 in it, back into the system. The computer calculates how much O2 to add back into the breathing “air” (which is a mix of O2, N2, and He). But these rebreather systems are tricky to use and are much less reliable.
NBC just said the coach is still in the cave, but that he’s very weak. The did take the 4 in best shape and didn’t release who that was (a parent didn’t even know her son was coming out).
They said there are 90 divers involved. I can’t even figure out where they are in the cave or along the way.
Keep going guys!
The reports I’ve read said the coach is still in the cave and 4 of the boys have been rescued so far.
Even if Elon’s capsule is not going to get used during this rescue operation, it is not a wasted effort. There will be a need for something like this if we begin building high speed tunnels under water etc.
https://www.cnet.com/news/watch-elon-musks-thai-cave-rescue-submarine-in-action/
MSNBC said they took the 4 strongest. So, we just don’t know. Just praying for the rest and their families.
It was written in some reports that the Thais incorporated some of the ideas Musk and others contributed in the rescue efforts.
Agree that the mini sub is fascinating and could have other applications.
There are a lot of conflicting reports. An Australian paper is reporting that the the plan was to bring out the strongest first, but the Australian doctor/diver who triaged the group decided to send out the weakest. A thirteen year old was the worst off and was in critical condition, but is now stable according to the paper.
@Bunsenburner gave a good description of rebreathers. For the pics I’ve seen it doesn’t appear anyone has been using them. Rebreathers are often used in tech and deep diving situations because unlike compressed air your bottom time is not affected by the depth of your dive. Not all cave divers or rescue divers use rebreathers, however, and as BB said, they’re trickier to use than an open circuit (standard scuba setup) system. They also use a mix of gasses such as nitrox or trimix which might be harder to access than regular compressed air.
I would imagine that as well as fresh tanks they’ve staged divers along the way to help with communications, gear changes and hauling. Those tanks are very heavy, so carrying them up slippery, uneven surfaces after hours of diving is a lot of work even for the fittest of divers. They’re probably helping to support the kids as well. After 2 weeks with little food and no exercise in an oxygen-low environment they may be very weak.
I read somewhere that the coach was amongst the four. But that seemed odd.
I would think they’d want the asst coach to stay to keep remaining team members calm and have read repeated reports that 4 boys were removed from cave. He’s meditating with them to help all remain calm. He was a monk.
Just came across a Twitter account of “Puff, probably a real person.” Explains cave diving and its hazards very well.
Here’s s video of the Musk mini sub
https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.cnn.com/cnn/2018/07/08/us/elon-musk-thai-cave-rescue/index.html
@BunsenBurner, just found it with a quick search. Extremely informative.
How frightening is this piece of information from Puff, who looks to be in her early 30’s:
“three of my friends have died cave diving”
One of our friends is a cave diver. We watched his videos and said he was nuts. Those were videos from “nice” caves.
I am glad I went into the few caves I’ve been in before all of this happened. I have never had any desire to go on a cave dive and never plan to.
All of my kids dive and the oldest started at 8. At 12 he was a junior master scuba diver, dry suit and rescue certified, with over 100 dives under his belt. He now works as an instructor, doing deep dives, drift dives and wreck dives. I was comfortable with all that. My one fear was that he would develop a jones for cave diving. It’s true that most people who don’t make it out of a cave dive perish due to inadequate training or ignoring the training they do have, but like high altitude climbing, the sport carries a great deal of inherent danger. And even more dangerous? Rescue diving in caves.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/thai-cave-rescue-anmar-mirza-national-cave-rescue-mission/
An interview with an experienced cave diver, shown on CBS News tonight.
“Not all heroes wear capes, some wear scuba tanks.”