How the first group of boys were rescued from flooded Thai cave

A delicate mission to rescue 12 boys and their soccer coach from a flooded cave in northern Thailand has seen four successfully removed after a gruelling seven-hour operation.

Five handpicked Thai diving experts were accompanied by 13 foreign divers inside the Tham Luang Nang Non cave complex where the boys, aged 11-16, have been stranded for more than two weeks.

The underwater cave rescue, which experts described as “a last resort” given the boys’ lack of diving experience, saw the divers commence mission at 10am local time Sunday, navigating their way through dark and tight passageways filled with muddy waters, strong currents and oxygen-depleted air.

Two divers accompanied each of the four boys in what is called a buddy dive, one at the front and another at the back.

Attached together by safety lines and a harness, they slowly worked their way through the four-kilometre passage, including one hole that is just 38cm high, known as “choke point”.

In order for the boys to fit through, they needed to remove their scuba gear and for a brief moment dive alone through the pitch black.

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Their scuba gear and oxygen tanks followed behind them before they had to put it all on again whilst underwater.

A full-scale medical team waited anxiously on standby, prepared to deal with any outcome, when the boys emerged seven hours later, moments before heavy rain started falling.

They were rushed in ambulances to waiting helicopters to the hospital in the town of Chiang Rai.

The success of the initial evacuation raised hopes that the entire team will be safely removed, however, officials said that could take up to four days to complete, with the mission put on hold to allow authorities time to regroup and refill air tanks.

It was announced the next dive will take place 10 to 20 hours after the first was completed, with rescue teams facing further considerable challenges.

Authorities have said the monsoons could cause water to rise in the cave. That along with dwindling oxygen levels, added to the urgency of getting the team out.

British Cave Rescue Council Chairman Peter Dennis told Sunrise this morning that the decision to delay the next dive was due to the strenuous work the divers are undergoing.

“It is an absolutely exhausting experience. It is very challenging and physically arduous,” he said.

“With the extra commitment of assisting these boys out of the cave, they have quite a challenge before them and they really do need to rest so that they are able to make clear decisions.

“It is their lives as well as the boys that are at stake.”