Thailand cave rescuers save eight boys: What we know now

Eight of the young Thai soccer players trapped in a partially flooded cave for more than two weeks have been rescued in a complex, daring and dangerous operation that has not yet been completed.

The boys were among 12 members of the Wild Boars team, ages 11-17, who ventured deep into the cave along with their 25-year-old coach on June 23. Four were rescued Sunday and four more on Monday.

Acting Chiang Rai Gov. Narongsak Osottanakorn said the boys were "conscious and safe" and that the operation went smoothly.

“We have more operating personnel, and we have more expertise than yesterday,” Narongsak said.

The world has been watching, and an international team of divers and support crews were assembled to aid the rescue.

Eight rescued, four more to go

Four boys were rescued Sunday before the effort was put on hold so the cave could be restocked with oxygen tanks and other essentials. The operation cranked up again Monday morning local time, which was Sunday night in the U.S., and four more boys were brought out. Thai navy SEALs are leading the effort, but more than 90 rescue workers from around the world have been laboring in and around the dark, twisting cave. Massive pumps are being used to lower water levels to shorten the underwater distances.

What we know about their condition

Narongsak said all the boys rescued thus far are "safe and conscious" in a hospital. The boys were undergoing extensive medical checkups in what was essentially a quarantined floor of a hospital because of fear of infections. Relatives can only see the boys through a glass window. But Narongsak was upbeat and said the boys rescued Sunday were in good spirits. “This morning they said they were hungry and wanted to eat khao pad grapao,” he said, referring to a popular Thai dish served over rice.

Boys will be treated as disaster victims 

Kanet Pongsuwan, the principal of the nearby Mae Sai Prasitsart School — which six of the boys attend — said that the rescued students will be eased back into the classroom. "We will not push them too hard on their studies," he said, adding that extra tutoring will be given to allow the boys to catch up on their missed work. They won't be required to take exams that were scheduled for next week, he added. Kanet said the boys will be treated as disaster victims and given psychological evaluations and other assistance after their ordeal.

Psychological issues could be intense

Psychologist Jamie Aten, founder of the Humanitarian Disaster Institute at Wheaton College in Illinois, says the mental health of the boys must be monitored closely. “They may show extremes in behaviors ... they (may) sleep too much or have difficulty sleeping,” says Aten, who is not involved in the boys' treatment. “They may develop triggers that weren’t there previously.” Some, he says, may withdraw while others may seek more attention. "Over time these symptoms may lessen, but for some it could be a lifelong struggle," he said.

How the boys became trapped

The boys and their coach hiked more than two miles into the cave after soccer practice on June 23. Heavy rains struck the area and parts of their path back to the cave entrance became swollen with floodwaters. A search led by Thai navy SEALs and joined by volunteer divers from around the world was fruitless until Monday when a pair of British divers came up on the hungry but apparently healthy team.

Contributing: The Associated Press

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