4 of 13 boys extracted from cave

CHIANG RAI, July 9 (TNA) -- Four of 13 members of the Thai junior football team and their coach have been extracted from Tham Luang cave in Chiang Rai after being trapped inside for more than two weeks. At around 6.20 pm, the first two boys reportedly exited the cave. Half an hour later, ambulances were seen rushing out of cave entrance. It was confirmed at 8.50 pm that four of them were transported to Chiang Rai Prachanukroh Hospital. The development marks a major success of the rescue mission which begun at 10 am on Sunday. Five Thai navy divers and 13 expert divers from many countries carried out the dangerous task in what described as D-day by head of the rescue mission Narongsak Osottanakorn. At 9 pm, Mr Narongsak confirmed that four boys had been rescued and sent to the Hospital. The rescue attempt for the next group would be done in the next 10 to 22 hours. After a brief news conference, he then met with heads of agencies and rescue teams to assess the situation. According to the rescue plan, the boys would be guided to walk in floodwater, climb and dive through the cave system on a 4.7-kilometer route from the dry ledge they had been stranded to the cave entrance. Public Health Ministry officials earlier said Chiang Rai Prachanukroh Hospital had set up a cleanroom to provide intensive care of the boys. They will be given blood test to determine whether they infections during their ordeal as well as other treatments. Mr Narongsak, earlier Sunday morning, said the rescuers would no longer wait and begun attempt announced that 13 world’s top made up the team and entered the cave at 10 am. Two divers would guide one boy through the flooded passageways one by one, he said. The decision was made after the boys and their families were informed and agreed with, Mr Narongsak added. Rescue divers earlier said a round trip to reach the boys inside the massive cave and return took about 11 hours. The young footballers and their 25-year-old coach have been trapped in the cave system since June 23, after monsoon rains flooded the cave while they were exploring The group was found alive nine days later in a small cave chamber. (TNA)