Thai cave rescue operation halts after extracting 4 boys, will continue Monday morning

They had to stop for the night because of 'depleted oxygen levels' in the cave.

Sulaiman Daud | July 08, 2018, 11:28 PM

On July 8, the world received the good news that the first rescue operation carried out in the Tham Luang cave complex in Thailand was successful.

A team of Thai Navy SEALs and foreign divers joined forces to help bring out four of the boys trapped in the cave.

Following a press conference given by the Thai rescue team, Channel NewsAsia reported that the four boys had been taken safely to a hospital in the city of Chiang Rai.

Said mission chief Narongsak Osottanakorn, referring to the boys' team name:

"After 16 days of waiting, we get to see the faces of the 'Wild Boars'. Our mission is more successful than we've hoped for."

Narongsak said that in the end, a total of 90 divers were involved -- 50 foreign and 40 Thai divers.

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Operations had to stop for the night, however, due to "depleted oxygen levels" in the cave.

Narongsak added that the team would need "about 10 hours" to get ready for the next phase of the rescue operation, expected to re-commence on Monday morning.

The remaining eight boys and their coach, 25-year-old Ekapol Chanthawong, are still in the cave complex.

But hopefully they will all be safely rescued in turn.

Top image by Lauren DeCicca/Getty Images.

 

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