Here's How Elon Musk Is Helping Rescue Trapped Thai Soccer Team Boys From A Cave

SpaceX CEO, Elon Musk has ramped up his efforts to rescue the soccer team that got stranded in a deep cave in Thailand due to heavy rains. Via his tweet on Thursday, Musk said that he would be sending SpaceX & Boring Co engineers to help out the government with the rescue operations. A nine-member team is working free-of-cost and will assist the authorities with the rescue operations in Thailand where 12 children and a coach have been stranded in a cave for over 2 weeks.

“SpaceX & Boring Co engineers headed to Thailand tomorrow to see if we can be helpful to govt. There are probably many complexities that are hard to appreciate without being there in person” Musk said in his tweet.

Also read: Elon Musk downplays coronavirus again, says 'car crashes are more dangerous'

The soccer team has been stranded in the deep tunnels of Tham Luang Nang Non cave system following a heavy downpour on June 23. International rescue teams which took part in the search and rescue operations included the Thai Navy SEALs as well as international divers from China, UK, USA, and Australia.

Initially, the Thai Navy SEAL along with other rescue teams had suspected that the soccer team players were at Pattaya Beach which is a large, deep chamber, in order to escape rising waters. However, as the rescue teams reached the spot, it was found that the cave itself had submerged in water, governor of the local region Chiang Rai, Narongsak Osottanakorn told reporters. Rescue divers, then, explored the region 300 to 400 meters further down where they found the team on a muddy incline. It took 9 days of massive search operations just to locate the team. 

In his latest tweet, vis-a-vis the time of publishing, Musk seems to be optimistic about the efforts on-ground. 

In a series of tweets with James Yenbamroong, founder of Thailand based mu Space Corp, Musk brainstormed ways in which the 12 stranded individuals in the caves could be rescued.

The trapped boys are aged between 11 and 16 and play for a local soccer team. At the time of the incident, the boys were said to be on a field trip with their coach. As mentioned earlier, while it took 9 days just to locate the team, the continued flooding if the cave has meant that the party is still in danger.  What is adding complexity to the situation is also the accessibility into the cave, wherein 1 a former Thai navy seal died after he was on duty for ferrying oxygen tanks to the stranded children. 

Also read: Elon Musk calls coronavirus panic ‘dumb’, netizens call out his ‘privilege’

In a letter sent through the divers, 25 year-old Ekapol Chanthawong reassured parents and tendered a profuse apology to them. “Right now the kids are all fine, the crew are taking good care. I promise I will care for the kids as best as possible. I want to say thanks for all the support and I want to apologize to the parents," the coach said. 

Meanwhile the trapped boys also wrote handwritten letters to their parents. Here are some of them: 

“Mom and Dad, please don’t worry, I am fine”, wrote Tun while requesting his friend for fried chicken for when he gets out of the cave.  

"I'm fine,” wrote another trapped young boy adding that the air is chilly. " Don’t forget to set up my birthday party!”, he added. 

“Teacher, don’t give us lots of homework!” they reportedly wrote in a joint letter

The Tham Luang Nang Non caves, where the soccer team is trapped reportedly acts as the town's drainage system during the incessent monsoons. The heavy Monsoon season  lasts from July to October in Thailand.