The world has been watching, waiting and hoping for the best. And the heroes in Thailand have saved the whole team of Wild Boar soccer players along with their coach from the cave.
The third phase of the high-risk rescue operation for the boys and their coach trapped in a cave in Thailand ended more quickly than anyone thought possible. Thai officials have confirmed that 19 divers entered the came complex in Chiang Rai and have extracted the remaining four teens and their coach. Several were brought out on stretchers.
On Sunday, four boys were rescued and four more came out on Monday. Each of the boys ranged in age from 11 to 16, and their coach is 25-years-old. They became stranded when exploring the inside of the cave after a practice game. Monsoon flooding blocked their passage and prevented rescuers from finding them for 10 days.
The heroic rescue team took the strongest boys first. The reasoning was that officials wanted the boys who have the best chance serving to get through the escape route first. But now, the last members of the team have come out alive after being trapped for more than a week, according to Thai navy SEALS.
The 12th member of the team was brought out of the cave complex on a stretcher only about eight hours after officials announced Tuesday’s 3rd phase of the rescue operation. The 25-year-old assistant coach was the last out.
The condition of the last few rescued is still unknown, but officials have said that the previous eight rescued are in relatively good health at a hospital in Chiang Rai. Now the only people remaining in the cave are a doctor and three Thai navy SEALS. They were instrumental in the rescue effort and will still need to make their way to safety before the entire operation can be closed.