# Missing Soccer Team Found Alive in Cave **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 2, 2018, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missing-soccer-team-found-alive-in-cave/817173 "2018-07-02T17:03:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 16
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2018, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missing-soccer-team-found-alive-in-cave/817173/301 "2018-07-09T16:38:48Z")
**Iggy** , thanks for that insight. The effort to save the boys is even more extensive and fraught than most of us can imagine. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2018, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missing-soccer-team-found-alive-in-cave/817173/302 "2018-07-09T16:45:07Z")
> [@Ale](#): > > [“The boys recovering in hospital haven’t yet seen their family. The parents also haven’t been told which boys have been pulled out. The boys’ families have agreed to remain at the cave until all of the boys and the coach are brought out.”](https://twitter.com/RichardBarrow/status/1016347112072597504) > > This situation has brought out the very best of the Thai people’s character. This X 1000 ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2018, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missing-soccer-team-found-alive-in-cave/817173/303 "2018-07-09T16:45:27Z")
> [@Iggy](#): > > Then divers need to go in and retrieve the used cylinders. That takes more cylinders. Given the risk associated with going into the cave (especially going in very far), would they bother to recover used cylinders? It’s understandable if there are space constraints inside the cave that make it difficult to move past a giant pile of tanks. But cheap SCUBA tanks can be had for $150. If they abandon 150 tanks, that’s only $22,500 to replace them, versus dozens of risky trips to retrieve them. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2018, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missing-soccer-team-found-alive-in-cave/817173/304 "2018-07-09T17:04:49Z")
Because of lower Thai wages that amount of money is much more significant. But it’s probably more as the military and international divers are not going to want the cheapest stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2018, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missing-soccer-team-found-alive-in-cave/817173/305 "2018-07-09T17:14:20Z")
The risk of death, vs. the need to recover empty cylinders, seems to favor leaving the cylinders in the cave indefinitely. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2018, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missing-soccer-team-found-alive-in-cave/817173/306 "2018-07-09T17:22:15Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > The risk of death, vs. the need to recover empty cylinders, seems to favor leaving the cylinders in the cave indefinitely. Or at least until the next dry season. ---
**Author:** ![Ale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Ale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ale)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2018, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missing-soccer-team-found-alive-in-cave/817173/307 "2018-07-09T18:18:12Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > Or at least until the next dry season. Talking about empty cylinders, today I thought it would be nice if they made a statue of the ex navy SEAL who died in the rescue and cast it using Aluminium from some of the cylinders used in the operation. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2018, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missing-soccer-team-found-alive-in-cave/817173/308 "2018-07-09T18:20:15Z")
I think that’s a really great suggestion (at the very least a huge memorial/cautionary plaque, eh) and you should put that forward more publicly somehow. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2018, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missing-soccer-team-found-alive-in-cave/817173/309 "2018-07-09T18:54:15Z")
It’s a nice thought but I’d imagine they’ve rounded up tanks from the navy, coast guard and other orgs who likely expect them/need them returned. ---
**Author:** ![Tzigone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Tzigone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tzigone)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2018, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missing-soccer-team-found-alive-in-cave/817173/310 "2018-07-09T18:57:57Z")
> [@Ale](#): > > Talking about empty cylinders, today I thought it would be nice if they made a statue of the ex navy SEAL who died in the rescue and cast it using Aluminium from some of the cylinders used in the operation. What sort of pensions/retirement do their SEALS have? I mean, does he have family and will his death leave them unprovided for? ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2018, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missing-soccer-team-found-alive-in-cave/817173/311 "2018-07-09T19:20:20Z")
In this case, I heard the king said the SEAL’s family will be taken care of. And he’s getting a big funeral. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2018, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missing-soccer-team-found-alive-in-cave/817173/312 "2018-07-09T19:23:10Z")
It appears the government is trying to protect the families from the intrusion of the press. No one knows for sure which children have been reschedule. Privacy saves the families from endless demands for interviews. They would be taxing, especially having to speculate about the people still waiting for rescue. Why did your child come out earlier? Does he miss his friends? Is he worried about them? The questions are endless. I expect that eventually there will be a press conference with the reunited team. I hope they can keep the media glare off any specific child or his family. It’ll make a big difference in their mental health and adjustment to regular life. The coach will be in for a lot of scrutiny. Obviously because he was in charge of their care and safety. Imho normalcy is key to recovery. The children’s textbooks and assignments should be brought to the hospital. Their teachers should visit for short tutoring sessions. Families should bring favorite home cooked meals. Immerse the child back into his normal routine ASAP. Counseling will be needed and full recovery will take time. I’d bet some of these boys join the navy and aspire to be Seals. They’ve spent a lot of time with them in the past few days. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2018, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missing-soccer-team-found-alive-in-cave/817173/313 "2018-07-09T19:32:14Z")
Rescued, missed the edit window. Stupid phone. No one knows for sure which children have been reschedule. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2018, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missing-soccer-team-found-alive-in-cave/817173/314 "2018-07-09T20:05:49Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > The coach will be in for a lot of scrutiny. Obviously because he was in charge of their care and safety. I think it should go far beyond scrutiny. These caves were well known local dangers, with well-posted signage indicating as such. I think the coach should be charged in the death of the Seal that died, and be levied some sort of large fine for the massive cost this entire rescue operation has entailed. He’s the adult in this situation and could have avoided all of this. The only way I can think he would avoid being charged with crimes is if for some reason the boys wandered off without him at some point and went into the caves on a lark or something, and he went in there afterwards looking for them and became trapped along with them. Otherwise, it’s all on him. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2018, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missing-soccer-team-found-alive-in-cave/817173/315 "2018-07-09T20:31:04Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > It appears the government is trying to protect the families from the intrusion of the press. > > No one knows for sure which children have been reschedule. > > Privacy saves the families from endless demands for interviews. They would be taxing, especially having to speculate about the people still waiting for rescue. Why did your child come out earlier? Does he miss his friends? Is he worried about them? The questions are endless. > > I expect that eventually there will be a press conference with the reunited team. > > I hope they can keep the media glare off any specific child or his family. It’ll make a big difference in their mental health and adjustment to regular life. > > The coach will be in for a lot of scrutiny. Obviously because he was in charge of their care and safety. > > Imho normalcy is key to recovery. The children’s textbooks and assignments should be brought to the hospital. Their teachers should visit for short tutoring sessions. Families should bring favorite home cooked meals. > > Immerse the child back into his normal routine ASAP. > > Counseling will be needed and full recovery will take time. > > I’d bet some of these boys join the navy and aspire to be Seals. They’ve spent a lot of time with them in the past few days. They should get several months off from school. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2018, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missing-soccer-team-found-alive-in-cave/817173/316 "2018-07-09T21:10:57Z")
They went into the dry caves in June, before the posted prohibition period. It was one lad’s (Night) 17th birthday, they took snacks for a bit of a picnic. Into a cave system they had previously frequented without incident. Rain was not called for and they could not have known in was raining from inside the cave. The coach didn’t lead them deep into the cave, they retreated deeper and deeper to escape what was an unexpected and early flash flood. Pretty sure he was instrumental in keeping them safe and together. Having been a monk for many years the coach was well versed in saving energy and meditation which he taught them before they were rescued, and trapped in the dark. He refused any of the food, and was the weakest when they were reached, but he will be the last extracted. (Night, who speaks four languages was the only one able to communicate with the European divers that reached them.) This culture, you may discover, is less focussed on blame, and not just at this time. I know some feel very strongly about this but might I humbly suggest that topic perhaps derserves it’s own thread, rather than derail this one. ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2018, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missing-soccer-team-found-alive-in-cave/817173/317 "2018-07-09T21:13:37Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > These caves were well known local dangers, with well-posted signage indicating as such. Can’t seem to get consistent information on this. I’ve read that these caves were tourist attractions and that they were popular for local recreation. I’ve also read that the signage indicated that the caves were closed from July 1st through (I think) the end of October? But I really don’t know. Seems to be a lot of caves out there … maybe some others were safe-ish touristy caves, but the Thai soccer team cave was marked as dangerous. FWIW, the Thai soccer team cave had been deeply explored and mapped in the past – that would suggest to me that the “soccer cave” wasn’t quite _that_ bad where everyone just knew that it was an obvious danger. ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2018, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missing-soccer-team-found-alive-in-cave/817173/318 "2018-07-09T21:18:41Z")
> [@elbows](#): > > **Rain was not called for and they could not have known in was raining from inside the cave**. The coach didn’t lead them deep into the cave, they retreated deeper and deeper to escape what was an unexpected and early flash flood. The part in red is what I’ve been wondering about – was rain obviously coming that day? And even if they knew, say, that there was a “30% chance of rain” or whatever … did the threat of any rain necessarily lead one to think “flash flood is definitely coming!”? I’ve not seen anything reported at all on what the weather forecast was on June 23, or what the local conditions were when they entered the cave (clear and sunny? partly cloudy? overcast? huge thunderheads?). So I am curious to see if we ever get that detail. From what I know and understand _right now_ … it’s hard for me to think of what happened to the soccer team as anything but an Act of God weather event. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2018, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missing-soccer-team-found-alive-in-cave/817173/319 "2018-07-09T23:44:27Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > Said the Cub (same age as some of these kids): “Coaches are supposed to keep their kids safe. He should go to jail.” He did keep them safe. He wasn’t just a soccer coach. He’s been described as a mentor to the kids. They’re not in Chicago where they can go to a COSI. This appears to have been something of a field trip which the parents approved of. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2018, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missing-soccer-team-found-alive-in-cave/817173/320 "2018-07-09T23:56:58Z")
> [@bordelond](#): > > The part in red is what I’ve been wondering about – was rain obviously coming that day? And even if they knew, say, that there was a “30% chance of rain” or whatever … did the threat of any rain necessarily lead one to think “flash flood is definitely coming!”? In the tropics, rain can come up anytime with little warning, and can be very local. And the rain that caused the flooding would not have necessarily been anywhere near the cave entrance itself. It could have rained heavily elsewhere in the watershed without raining in the immediate vicinity of the cave, and that could have produced the flooding. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missing-soccer-team-found-alive-in-cave/817173.md?page=15) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missing-soccer-team-found-alive-in-cave/817173.md?page=17)