12 kids trapped in Thai Cave Complex

[Dalaran1991]

Guys, could we get off Going Strong for a sec?

If he got a bit carried away with his theories (he's French, whadda ya expect?) then just ignore him, no need to shout him down. I can vouch for him in person, he's a solid guy who would take one for the team and constantly travels to Asia for both business and pleasure, which explains his interest in this thread.

If somehow he gets banned and/or stop posting it would be a damn shame, whether it was his actions that caused it or not. Nobody is perfect here and this is just a forum, we should make use of people's strength and just ignore their weaknesses.

Fuck happening with the RVF crew these days that we all become so irritable, doxxing people turning on our own and shit?

 

[Architekt]

Latest updates:

All four boys made it to hospital safely today

The head of the rescue mission, Narongsak Osottanakorn, is speaking to media in Thailand.

He said that all four boys have reached hospital and that all are safe.

"We have helped four more children today," he said.

He said the health of the remaining five trapped inside the cave was "still good"

One interesting thing, Narongsak Osotthanakorn said all boys we’re conscious today, implying at least one of the boys rescued yesterday were not

 

[Mage]

For everybody who doesn't really understand the dangers of caving and seeks conspiracy theories to explain details, like why did the boys went deeper in the cave, it I recommend the movie: Sanctum.

It's one of the best caving horror movies I have seen because it successfully provides to the viewer the realistic dangers of spelunking, both physical and psychological, without an additional layer of fictional monsters. It might be other caving movies, with monsters, that give this vibe to a cubicle theorist that "there must be something more going on".

The movie is much better then it's IMDB score. I suggest it to everyone who doesn't understand the Thailand situation.

 

[Seadog]

Has growing up in the western world really gotten so bad that the only reason you can think of to explore a cave is running drugs?

Absolutely not, I believe the idea that the coach was a pedophile was also bandied about here for a bit. Drug mule or a pederast. Those are the choices.

Someone who just likes the outdoors and nature and adventure and exploring? Pffft! A likely story!

It saddens me that this seems to happen more and more. Threads being completely blown off the rails by the most ridiculous theories and ideas. This forum struck me as a bit of a locker room or a barber shop where you could bullshit with guys and talk about the news of the day, yet invariably one of the many people on street corners who rant about Jesus Christ or the Apocalypse finds their way in. Disagreement about exactly how culpable the coach is? Fair area for discourse. Disagreement over whether the coach was also touching the boys, or merely strapping drugs to them? Unneeded in my opinion....

In terms of the squeeze, it reminds me of a caving trip I did, that had a red pill angle to it. At the end of my African safari trip that I wrote up, we ended up in South Africa and I did a bit of a road trip there. One of the places we visited was called Oudtshoorn, and they have something there called the Cango cave complex. You go roughly a km in, and there was one really tight squeeze where backpacks or even a big dslr camera are out of the question, you had rock touching all sides of your body, and the web says is 27cm.

Lots of people do it, so you can see how worn the rock is.

Now, the funny red pill angle is that in 2007 a lady came to the cave, and there are two parts, just enter the cave and the big hall and see the stalagmites, or the adventurous trek with some tight squeezes. She was told she was she was too big for the second part, then got all indignant about muh rights and all that. They get to the specific section, and was asked again to reconsider, no dice. Then she got stuck because apparently nature *is* happy to discriminate. Took a day to get her out, while 23 other cavers were stuck behind her.

https://www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/big-woman-in-tight-passage-blocks-cave-309486

Great to hear the 8th boy is out!

 

[Beyond Borders]

^ Now THAT is an awesome red pill story. hahaha

 

[Going strong]

Guys, could we get off Going Strong for a sec?

If he got a bit carried away with his theories (he's French, whadda ya expect?) then just ignore him, no need to shout him down. I can vouch for him in person, he's a solid guy who would take one for the team and constantly travels to Asia for both business and pleasure, which explains his interest in this thread.

If somehow he gets banned and/or stop posting it would be a damn shame, whether it was his actions that caused it or not. Nobody is perfect here and this is just a forum, we should make use of people's strength and just ignore their weaknesses.

Fuck happening with the RVF crew these days that we all become so irritable, doxxing people turning on our own and shit?

Actual pic of Dalaran1991 rescuing Going Strong from the hole he had gotten himself deep into:

So not only did I mistake Pattaya for the Thai-Myanmar border, but I apparently and subsequently got lost in the Cu Chi tunnels! Sad.

By the way, I wonder how come the Vietnamese (and some French or US soldiers, called the Tunnel Rats) did not drown in these complex and vast war tunnels? Did they use them only during the dry season?

An interesting read in any case:

 

[Thomas More]

I've crawled through some narrow gaps like this with a boy's group. We took a group of boy scouts to a big cave complex, and another time, took a group from church to a different cave. Both times, we also spent the night camping in the cave. As in Seadog's story, there was a commercial tour that anybody could do, then they had tours of the back caverns that were not lighted.

I think they make a point in these tours to take you through narrow areas. I had a blast. I will say that we had a guide who knew the caves well. I don't know if this coach knew the caves well or not. However, I do think it's completely natural that an adult in charge of a group of boys would take them to do things that boys like, including caving. After all, I've been part of a group of adults who did the same thing.

 

[CaptainChardonnay]

Some of the Vietnamese caves are massive. The biggest cave in the world, Son Donng, is found in Vietnam, and at it's largest section you can fly a Boeing 747 through it with extra room to spare. I visited 3 or so caves while there and they were also all quite massive, we took boats to go into them.

https://www.aol.com/article/news/20...ig-you-can-fly-a-boeing-747-through/21627089/

The world's largest cave is so big that a Boeing 747 could fly through its largest cavern unscathed. It could fit a Manhattan city block complete with 40-story skyscrapers and has its own weather system that creates misty clouds hanging right above you.

And it wasn't explored until 2009.

 

[Going strong]

Some of the Vietnamese caves are massive. The biggest cave in the world, Son Donng, is found in Vietnam, and at it's largest section you can fly a Boeing 747 through it with extra room to spare. I visited 3 or so caves while there and they were also all quite massive, we took boats to go into them.

https://www.aol.com/article/news/20...ig-you-can-fly-a-boeing-747-through/21627089/

The world's largest cave is so big that a Boeing 747 could fly through its largest cavern unscathed. It could fit a Manhattan city block complete with 40-story skyscrapers and has its own weather system that creates misty clouds hanging right above you.

And it wasn't explored until 2009.

it wasn't explored until 2009 but it somehow appears to have been described (following an interrupted, opium laced -back to the Golden triangle- dream) two centuries ago, in one of the most beautiful poems ever written:

The vast underground cave and river envisioned by Coleridge: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kubla_Khan

"Where Alph, the sacred river, ran
Through caverns measureless to man
Down to a sunless sea.
(...)
Five miles meandering with a mazy motion
Through wood and dale the sacred river ran,
Then reached the caverns measureless to man,
And sank in tumult to a lifeless ocean; "

 

[Davis]

Back to the topic at hand.

Here's how the kids are being rescued. Five more to go, here's to another successful day of rescue operations ahead!

[img=640x400]https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Dhqe6ZNVQAgoj8D.jpg[/img]

After swallowing the redpill, it is very easy for us to become extremely negative and cynical about humanity and to adopt a dark and conspiratorial worldview. However it is in times of adversity like these, that the special and bright qualities of humanity shine through.

A toast to the divers, doctors, nurses, rescue workers, engineers and everyone involved in this operation.

 

[TravelerKai]

Some of the Vietnamese caves are massive. The biggest cave in the world, Son Donng, is found in Vietnam, and at it's largest section you can fly a Boeing 747 through it with extra room to spare. I visited 3 or so caves while there and they were also all quite massive, we took boats to go into them.

https://www.aol.com/article/news/20...ig-you-can-fly-a-boeing-747-through/21627089/

The world's largest cave is so big that a Boeing 747 could fly through its largest cavern unscathed. It could fit a Manhattan city block complete with 40-story skyscrapers and has its own weather system that creates misty clouds hanging right above you.

And it wasn't explored until 2009.

Now that is a cave! I am almost tempted to add that to my bucket list!

 

[TheFinalEpic]

This is the best representation of the human condition and spirit I have seen in a while. Everyone working together to bring these boys home, out of a super dangerous predicament.

What a story to tell! "Yeah I was one of the rescue divers that swam >4km both ways to pull a young soccer team out of a cave."

Can you find a greater DHV than this? I dare you.

 

[MrLemon]

This is the best representation of the human condition and spirit I have seen in a while. Everyone working together to bring these boys home, out of a super dangerous predicament.

What a story to tell! "Yeah I was one of the rescue divers that swam >4km both ways to pull a young soccer team out of a cave."

Can you find a greater DHV than this? I dare you.

Hero bangs.

I knew a guy who used to crew on one of those "whale saving" pirate ships...the ones that would go out and attack Japanese whalers.

He did it just for the pussy. They'd dock and see lines of women jumping and waving at them.

 

[CaptainChardonnay]

Some of the Vietnamese caves are massive. The biggest cave in the world, Son Donng, is found in Vietnam, and at it's largest section you can fly a Boeing 747 through it with extra room to spare. I visited 3 or so caves while there and they were also all quite massive, we took boats to go into them.

https://www.aol.com/article/news/20...ig-you-can-fly-a-boeing-747-through/21627089/

The world's largest cave is so big that a Boeing 747 could fly through its largest cavern unscathed. It could fit a Manhattan city block complete with 40-story skyscrapers and has its own weather system that creates misty clouds hanging right above you.

And it wasn't explored until 2009.

Now that is a cave! I am almost tempted to add that to my bucket list!

It's funny but I actually first heard about it on here, someone else posted a datasheet on it. It's been on my to do list since then, I don't think there are any too narrow passageways. Since the cave is protected, there is a limited number of people who can tour it each year. I think it's 5000 per year and costs 3k USD for 4 days and 3 nights.

http://oxalis.com.vn/tour/son-doong-cave-expedition-4d3n/

 

[Architekt]

*snip*

That looks absolutely amazing

Update: Rescued boys are healthy, walking around and eating solid foods

The first four boys rescued from the flooded cave complex in northern Thailand have started to walk around their beds and are eating solid food as they regain strength

May be a little while still before we see all of them out, though

Asked whether the remaining four "Wild Boars" and their coach would come out at the same time in the next rescue effort, he said: "It depends on the plan … We have set the plan for four people so if they want to take five out [at the same time], then they need to change the plan."

But he added rescuers may need more than 20 hours, to replan and replenish oxygen supplies, to be ready to mount the next mission.

 

[Architekt]

Update: Third, and potentially final, mission underway

Thai authorities have just confirmed the third — and hopefully final — rescue mission, is underway.

They're hoping to bring the remaining four boys and their soccer coach out today.

On the health of the boys who have been rescued:

Two boys between 14 and 16 have the first signs of a lung infection. One boy had a low heart rate which has since normalised. Another boy had a gash on his leg but is otherwise in good health.
Dr Jesada Cokedamrongsak, the permanent secretary of Thailand's Health Dept says all the boys have been placed on antibiotics because their immune systems have been weakened from more than 2 weeks in damp, muddy conditions.

Most of the boys have lost 1-2kg from the ordeal.

Those rescued thus far:

 

[Richard Turpin]

When the first batch were rescued, I said to my wife that 'these would be the strongest ones, and most likely to survive. Each rescue from now on will be progressively more risky as they move down the list to the weakest ones'.

Turns out this is the exact opposite of what they did and shows how much I know about rescuing people. Apparently, they intended to use the 'strongest first' method but were overuled by an australian doctor (and cave diver);

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/aap/article-5931537/Weakest-boys-left-Thai-cave-reports.html

An Australian doctor's triaging of 12 boys trapped in a cave in northern Thailand may have led to the rescue of four of the weakest children first.

Chiang Rai former governor Narongsak Osottanakorn, who is heading the rescue operation, had said Sunday was the "perfect day" to launch the daring rescue before heavy rain was again expected inundate the Tham Luang caves, 60km from Chiang Rai.

The initial plan was to bring the strongest out first.

But after Adelaide cave diver and anaesthetist Richard Harris, 53, assessed the youngsters and their coach that strategy appears to have been reversed, Thai media has reported.

 

[Architekt]

Reports first boy is out for the day

We're hearing reports that a ninth boy has been rescued
News agency Reuters says an official with knowledge of the mission has witnessed a ninth person rescued from the cave.

We haven't got any confirmation from officials, or our own reporters, yet. We'll let you know when we do.

Interestingly, they have to "rescue" the rescuers once this whole thing is over

Earlier today the leader of the rescue effort said today's operation aimed to bring out the four remaining boys, their soccer coach as well as a medic and three Thai Navy SEALs who have been waiting with the boys

 

[Architekt]

UPDATE: Tenth person seen carried out of Thai cave on a stretcher

 

[Simple Man]

Reports saying that an 11th child is out, apparently the youngest of the group.. Leaves just 1 more plus the coach and anyone else looking after them inside. Hopefully they are all out today and can soon start giving paid interviews for hundreds of thousands of dollars!