By Winnie Kabintie

It’s a story that has captured the globe’s attention right from the time the news broke that 12 boys and their football coach had disappeared in a cave in Thailand all the way to the unbelievable news that the troop was discovered alive 10 days later, deep in the cave by divers.

In a story that sounds like a script from a Hollywood movie; the boys aged 11 to 16 and their coach went to explore the caves on 23 June but the adventure turned catastrophic when water filled the caves, trapping them inside.

Divers who embarked on a rescue mission where incapacitated by the narrow tunnels and poor lightning and it was only after nine days that two British divers (Rick Stanton and John Volanthen), who had joined the rescue teams, managed to locate the 13 members, who were safely poised on on high ground deep in the cave near an area known as Pattaya Beach.

THAI CAVE RESCUE MISSION UNDERWAY

It was great news on Monday when the two divers located the Thai boys and their Coach and the everyone who had been following the story was ecstatic, but a greater task still lay ahead; extracting the troop to safety.

Chiang Rai governor Narongsak Osottanakorn, while addressing  a press conference at the command centre set up at the cave entrance said that they had accomplished part one of the mission and were gearing up for the last bit; rescue.

“Our mission is to search, rescue and return. So far we just found them. Next mission is to bring them out from the cave and send them home,” he said.

The recuers are currently pumping water out of the caves and have sealed holes around the area the boys are perched to prevent more water from sipping in.

RACE AGAINST TIME IN THAI CAVE RESCUE AS STORM LOOMS

Thai navy medics have already dived in and offered food and medical treatment to the troop as the rescuers  continue to explore ways to bring them out safely. The boys are reportedly in good health.

A footage published on Wednesday shows the boys in great physical shape and they can be heard laughing.

The 12 boys are members of the Moo Pa – or Wild Boar – football team.

Thai authorities are now racing against time to finally retrieve the boys out of the cave ahead of a looming storm that could flood the cave completely.

In this article; HOW CAN THE BOYS BE RESCUED FROM THE THAI CAVE? The Guardian explorers the possible ways the rescuers are exploring to bring the boys to safety.