A tenth person was rescued on Tuesday from a flooded Thai cave complex where 12 boys and their soccer coach were trapped for more than two weeks, raising hopes all 13 would be out by the end of the day.
A Reuters witness saw two people being carried out of the Tham Luang cave on stretchers. They were the first two to be taken out on Tuesday, the third day of the rescue operation.
Eight of the boys were brought out on stretchers over the first two days - four on Sunday and four on Monday. Officials were not immediately available to comment on who had been brought out.
Rescue personnel prepare the transport for the evacuation of the boys and their football coach trapped in a flooded cave Photograph: Social Media/Reuters
The office of Thailand’s prime minister has thanked the tech entrepreneur Elon Musk for his offer of help, AFP’s Jerome Taylor reports.
Spokesman for Thai junta chief Prayut Chan-O-Cha thanks @elonmusk for his offer of help over trapped cave boys (though you kinda get the feeling the subtext is, thanks, but we got this) pic.twitter.com/qMORj3df51
Chefs anticipate this will be the last rescue day as they prepare a vast vat of stir-fried pork for the rescue workers, Guardian contributor Veena Thoopkrajae reports.
Thailand’s prime minister, Prayuth Chan-o-cha, has met relatives of the boys trapped in the cave. On Monday he was due to visit the cave, but postponed the visit for fear of disrupting the rescue operation. He stayed in nearby Chiang Rai where the rescued boys are being treated.
Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha poses with relatives of boys trapped in the flooded Tham Luang cave Photograph: HANDOUT/Reuters
AP says an ambulance has been seen leaving the site of the cave. But there has been no confirmation that a ninth boy has been rescued.
An ambulance leaves from the Tham Luang cave area as the operations continue for those still trapped inside the cave in Khun Nam Nang Non Forest Park Photograph: Ye Aung Thu/AFP/Getty Images
We’re still waiting for the news of the latest rescue attempt. There has been speculation that as yesterday’s operation went more quickly than Sunday’s another boy could emerge soon. But overnight rain could have made conditions much tougher in the cave, with higher water levels and stronger currents.
Members of the media report from a hill near the Tham Luang cave area as the operations continue for those still trapped inside the cave Photograph: Ye Aung Thu/AFP/Getty Images
The tech entrepreneur Elon Musk has posted a new video of conditions in the cave.
He was politely told that a small submarine he offered rescue workers was surplus to requirements.
“Although his technology is good and sophisticated it’s not practical for this mission,” Narongsak Osatanakorn, the head of the joint command centre coordinating the operation, told reporters.
Musk tweeted that he had brought the mini submarine - “made of rocket parts and named Wild Boar after kids’ soccer team” - to the cave site, leaving it there in case it was useful in the future.
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