The ignorance in some of the comments is astounding.Originally Posted by Squirrel Girl
Welcome to the Cave Diver's Forum.
The ignorance in some of the comments is astounding.
"So long and thanks for all the fish!" -- Douglas Adams, Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Sorry, been on the road a few days. Just catching up with the news.
As I understand it, the Soccer team, 13 yr old boys have all been found safe. They are trapped behind flood waters that will continue for up to 4 months. They are trapped over 1 mile back in a cave that requires diving thru major restrictions in zero vis. One rescue plan so far is to take 13 yr olds, some of whom can't even swim, and teach them to be expert cave divers and swim out thru major restrictions in zero vis? Did I miss anything?
Two questions: What are they smoking? and Where can I get some?
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Have you thought about what the risks are waiting 4 months for the rainy season to end? Unsanitary conditions where they are. One or more of the boys falls and is injured or becomes sick for any reason that would require an immediate removal. What happens then? Lets say 1/2 the exit is walking - 1/2 would be in water. Some of the water would be a surface swim - but could easily be done in an inflatable raft or something like that - that would leave a portion of underwater passage. None of the boys need to swim. If they are being escorted out then the just need to hold on the cave diver. The area with restrictions - they might be tethered to a rope that pulls them thru the rustication.
Positive PR for cave diving
NPR and BBC today have given segments of air time to the dramatic location of the Thai football team and their coach in the Thailand cave. There have been some very positive things said about cave divers, a pleasant change from the sensationalized negative press usually accorded the cave diving community.
Though we know the Brit team that got to the kids were cave diving cavers (Brit versions of Forrest and company, right?) , the segments I've heard refers to them as "cave divers." When the interviewers fished about the dangers of cave diving, the experts being interviewed always explained that cave divers are skilled, experienced, highly-trained, and serious about assessing and mitigating risks.
Nice to have positive PR for a change.
Now let's keep our collective fingers crossed they can get the kids out safely, with no casualties among the rescued or the rescuers.
- Sid
Anmar Mirza was just on Tucker Carlson?s show. Did anyone else catch his interview? He did not seem to do a very good job explaining the challenge of bringing a group of non diving (many unable to swim) children out through multiple zero visibility restrictions in an overhead environment.
He also touted the Navy Seals rather than the British experts as having the training and skills needed to conduct this type rescue and I don?t think he gave the Brits any credit. Was that likely done to to be complementary to the Thai divers or for some other reason?
As I don?t know him, I don?t want to just be critical but am curious why the leading cave rescue expert in the US would provide the information he did. Others may see his responses differently and I?m interested in others? thoughts.
Uh, Forrest is a member of the British CDG (Cave Diving Group). That makes him "one of them", not the other way around
There are positives and negatives about what should happen next; obviously the trapped people will have to be rehabilitated with food, liquids , rest , etc., for several days before they are ready to be moved. This will give the rescue team more time to plan and arrange a coordinated effort. The soccer team, although young, are not small children who cannot be taught, they are of an age that many youngsters have been taught to scuba dive, and must be pretty tough, as they had already survived nine days trapped in a cave with very little supplies. I believe that they can be taught to scuba, given proper instruction as to how to survive this particular circumstance, There exit will be with the current, not against it, they will have a line to hold on to and to follow, there should be sufficient breathing gas in place, and some excellent help by their side to help deal with contingencies. Full face masks for smaller divers exist, and should be most valuable for the safety of the unskilled divers. Thermal protection should be available and adequate for the extraction dive, and there sac rates should be good, considering they are all athletes and hopefully in good health by the time the dives could occur. Of course, the poor vis will be a negative, as well as the possible negotiation of a restriction which may require gear removal, but possibly not considering the size of the divers, and the possibility of configuring them with small tanks and possibly no-mount systems for this portion of the extraction. Not an easy task ahead, to be sure, but to me it seems doable.
My guess (without any actual facts) would be that the sumps are already laid with rope instead of thin, cave line. That would have helped the medical staff who probably weren't cave certified, plus getting ready for everyone else they figure will be going in and out. I also figure they're working on ALL possible contingencies. Teaching them to get out of this one situation by diving the sumps is one of several options. While the rest of things are being worked (more supplies coming in), more pumping of the water, etc, they can be getting the boys accustomed to being in dark water without panicking.
Land of Enchantment -- not so great for cave diving, but mighty scenic!
Dominick Gheesling
Hike your own hike.
Dominick Gheesling
Hike your own hike.
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