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Australian officers involved in the Thai cave rescue working in 'incredibly challenging' conditions

Melissa Buttigieg
·News Reporter

The Australian rescue mission to save the 12 boys and their soccer coach trapped for 10 days in a Thai cave system is proving challenging, as police divers battle zero visibility and tight areas as they work to free the group.

Speaking in Canberra on Tuesday, Detective Superintendent Thomas Hester said the Australian Federal Police (AFP) team of six divers were working among “incredibly challenging” conditions.

The 12 youths and their soccer coach were this morning found alive deep inside a flooded cave system in Chiang Rai, northern Thailand after they went missing nearly 10 days ago.

Six Australian Federal Police (AFP) dive officers are assisting the Thai-led rescue operation, where priorities are getting food and first aid to the the 13 and preparing to evacuate them safely. Source: AFP
Six Australian Federal Police (AFP) dive officers are assisting the Thai-led rescue operation, where priorities are getting food and first aid to the the 13 and preparing to evacuate them safely. Source: AFP

The group must learn to dive or endure several months waiting to be rescued, the country’s army says.

Six AFP dive officers are assisting the Thai-led rescue operation, where priorities are getting food and first aid to the 13 and preparing to evacuate them safely.

The soccer team and their coach were discovered after almost 10 days trapped inside the cave. Source: Thai Navy SEAL
The soccer team and their coach were discovered after almost 10 days trapped inside the cave. Source: Thai Navy SEAL

Detective Superintendent Thomas Hester said the AFP Specialist Response Group team, which arrived in Chiang Rai on Saturday night Thailand time, faced “incredibly challenging” conditions. That was despite the team having capabilities of working in zero visibility areas, land search and rescue, and diving in flooded caves.

“There are a lot of small, tight areas where larger size people, especially with equipment, may have trouble moving through.”

“The ability to try to pull the boys through those areas with any diving equipment is incredibly challenging,” he said.

The cave is currently flooded and the water may only subside months later. Source: Getty
The cave is currently flooded and the water may only subside months later. Source: Getty

The AFP team was working closely with the Royal Thai Navy to plan and support the movement of equipment further into the cave system, to enable the Navy SEALS to safely rescue the group.

“The AFP dive team will continue to support the Thai authorities to continue to work on moving supplies and equipment to support the rescue effort into the caving system,” Det Supt Thomas Hester said.

Rescue teams continue to discuss exactly how they will rescue the group, with many expecting a lengthy process over several months. Source: Getty
Rescue teams continue to discuss exactly how they will rescue the group, with many expecting a lengthy process over several months. Source: Getty

“The specialty we have been able to deploy has been very useful to to the Thai authorities and has been very welcomed there. We will continue to support the Thai Navy SEALS in the best way we can.”

Also assisting in Chiang Rai are DFAT and Defence liaison staff and specialists from the US and China.

Aged between 11 and 16, the boys went missing with the 25-year-old coach after soccer practice on June 23 after they set out to explore the Tham Luang cave complex in a forest park near Thailand’s northern border with Myanmar.

Rescuers now have to decide how best to get the group out in their weakened condition. They have been given energy gels to sustain them while a plan is worked out to bring them to safety.

If the boys are able to dive out of the cave, their escape route will be about three kilometres in water with limited visibility.