Thai soccer team found alive after 10 days lost in caves

A Thai youth soccer team and its coach were found alive Monday in a vast, flooded cave complex where they disappeared more than a week ago, and a photo taken by rescuers showed the smiling faces of several survivors.

Video released early Tuesday by the Thai navy showed the boys in their soccer uniforms sitting on a dry area inside the cave above the water as a spotlight, apparently from a rescuer, illuminated their faces.

Chiang Rai provincial Gov. Narongsak Osatanakorn said the 13 were in the process of being rescued, but he cautioned that they were not out of danger.

“We found them safe. But the operation isn’t over,” he said in comments broadcast nationwide, referring to the complicated process of extricating them.

It was not immediately clear when the group would be removed from the cave. Narongsak said the rescue was underway and conditions of the players were being evaluated.

Photos sent from the rescue team showed some of the boys smiling for the camera. The smiles fueled optimism for their ecstatic family members awaiting word outside the cave, the Bangkok Post reported.

Read More (...)