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September 2018

September 2018

tech talk

GettingThe inside storythe Boys Out Tham Luang

Text by Rosemary E. Lunn Edited by Peter Symes On Saturday, 23 June 2018, a football team of boys in , aged 11 to 16, finished practice under the watchful eye of their 25-year-old coach, Ekkapol Chantawong. The group then cycled to and entered a popular tourist attraction, Tham Luang Cave. Some of the boys had never visited it before and were curious to know what it looked like. They explored the cave for about an hour before turning around and retraced their steps. They could not get out. At around 9:00 p.m., Sungwut ??????? Kummongkol, leader of the Rescue Unit Team, received a call that some of the children had disappeared.

It prompted a search to begin.

81 X-RAY MAG : 87 : 2018 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO US AIR / PETER SYMES The Thai Navy SEALs were brave but not equipped, nor trained tech talk for a nil-visibility overhead envi- ronment in which you cannot go up if you have a problem, and they found the and challenging.

At 10:00 p.m., Kummongkol led on Monday, 25 June, and head- “A diver felt his way through with the first responders into the cave. ed for Chamber 3 in the cave. It his hands in the dark. He found a The team of 14 local rescue work- took them about an hour to get hole that he could push through ers set up a light and found the to the chamber. with his foot. The more he pushed, boys’ bicycles and sports equip- the further in it went. ment, which had been left near SEAL Captain Anan Surawan emerged after diving for some the entrance to the cave. told Channel NewsAsia: “After time to tell us that they could get Chamber 3, there was a through the hole. The divers came The next day, shoes and bags T-junction. One section was under back and told us that they did were found inside the cave. two metres of water. There was a not find the kids. We were wor- However, the search was tempo- small hole in which we could dive ried. Where were the boys?” rarily suspended because con- through. On the other side, there tinual heavy rain thwarted access would be a small sand bank on The later posted to Tham Luang cave. The rescuers the right, and it was thought the on their page that the could still enter the first part of kids would be there. team had stopped diving around the cave, but the small 1800hrs because it had CAPT. JESSICA TAIT / US AIR FORCE hole leading farther into been raining all day and the cave was flooded, so the water level in the cave to be a mammoth and vital task The international cave diving British cavers also have a long they went back and con- was rising. They stated, for the agencies and volunteers. team had nothing but the utmost history of overseas cave explora- tacted the Sirikorn Rescue “Handprints were found respect for the Royal Thai Navy tion and surveying, and this is cer- Team because they had around the cave wall, but Very brave men SEALs, and considered them very tainly the case in Thailand. In par- . A team we still cannot locate the but ill-equipped brave, because they were oper- ticular, members of the Shepton of 22 local rescue workers children.” It needs to be pointed out that ating in such a harsh, alien situ- Mallet Caving Club, Mendip and divers then entered SEAL divers across the world are ation. The rescuers discussed the have helped catalogue, survey the cave but found their A SEAL diver said that the specialist military personnel, trained situation and agreed that they and describe a number of Thai diving cylinders got stuck water was so murky that to deal with unusual and uncon- needed help from experts. over several years, includ- during the dive. even with lights, they could ventional warfare, i.e. reconnais- ing Tham Luang cave. When the not see where they were sance missions and underwater British cave diving news came through that the boys “I decided to reach out going underwater, so they demolition. Their training is tough Britain has a long history of cave were trapped, the archives at the to the Royal Thai Navy needed to be able to lift and conducted in harsh and rescue, with some of the teams Shepton Mallet Caving Club were to send the Thai Navy their heads above the extreme environments. There will, being in existence for more raided, and surveys and informa- SEALs to help us because water. however, be very little, if any, train- than 70 years across the United tion on the Tham Luang Cave they would have spe- ing done in dry and wet caves, Kingdom and . Caving and were sent to Thailand to help the cialist equipment. They Anupong Paojinda, the because this is not an environment cave diving require spe- rescuers. confirmed they would Interior Minister, told the a SEAL will tend to encounter in cific skills and equipment to safely come,” said Narongsak media that the divers could their career. Therefore, the SEALs extract injured or trapped explor- The first foreign caver on the Osottanakorn, Governor only proceed when enough were not equipped nor trained for ers. Methods include confined scene was also a Brit—more spe- of Chaing Raid. water was pumped out this specific rescue location—i.e. a space, mountaineering and rope cifically, Vern Unsworth, an active, so that there was space nil-visibility overhead environment, techniques that work in a difficult experienced caver of more The Thai SEALs arrive between the water and where you cannot go up if you and demanding environment, than 40 years standing. Unsworth Twenty Royal Thai Navy ceiling to make it safer to have a problem, and they found i.e. somewhere pitch black that is learned to cave whilst exploring SEAL divers arrived and work. Pumping the water the caving and cave diving chal- frequently muddy, cold and wet. systems in the . entered Tham Luang from the cave and the sur- lenging. This can include small passages In recent years, he has been Cave at around 2:45 a.m. rounding area would prove and low or no-visibility conditions. extensively exploring Tham Luang

CAPT. JESSICA TAIT / US AIR FORCE

82 X-RAY MAG : 87 : 2018 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO tech talk “I got called out at 02.00 “At 3 p.m. I received a call Sunday morning (24 June) telling me I was booked saying that children were on the evening flight to missing in Tham Luang. Can Thailand. I was told to I come and help? expect the unexpected.”

Cave. Unsworth very best, they were not The British Thailand, the mainstream media therefore splits his used to diving in water the Council therefore co- reported that ongoing heavy rain- time between the colour of strong, black cof- ordinated the UK response fall and the flooded cave were and fee. He knew that special- (throughout the whole res- causing difficulties for the rescuers. a village in Chiangrai ist cave diving expertise cue) and phone calls were Province, situated would be urgently needed quickly made. Volanthen The three Brits arrived at Tham about 15 minutes at Tham Luang Cave. The told a BBC journalist that he Luang Cave late on Wednesday, away from the cave conditions were pretty much was at work that day when 27 June, and inspected the cave. system. Unsworth identical to British cave he got a telephone call. “At It was still raining. The mainstream had been involved in diving—a constricted, 3 p.m. I received a call tell- media asked the divers for a cave rescue opera- low or no-visibility, flooded envi- over four decades of experience. ing me I was booked on the eve- comment. Volanthen duly obliged tions in the United ronment. It was important to get He has explored and surveyed ning flight to Thailand. I was told to with one sentence, “We’ve got a Kingdom, but “noth- the experience there to support caves in , Panama, Peru expect the unexpected.” job to do.” ing on this scale.” the Thai Navy SEALs. Unsworth told and Thailand. In addition, he is CNN, “It was a race against time. Cave Leader for Dan Yr Ogof Now that an official request had cave diver Ben Reyme­ “Tham Luang has They needed world-class divers, Cave in South Wales (a Cave been made, the three men duly nants also arrived onsite to assist been my third home and that’s what we have got.” Leader has a set of specialist packed and headed for London with the rescue. Various articles in for the past six skills in order to safely lead others Heathrow and boarded the 21.25 the mainstream media reported years,” said Unsworth. On Tuesday, 26 June 2018, underground). Harper has done a flight to Thailand. “A cave res- that, initially, the Brits had their In 2014 and 2015, Unsworth handed a note to lot of caving in Thailand. In fact, cue is never where you want or doubts, because they felt that Unsworth was part of Weerasak Kowsurat, Thailand’s he had only just returned from a expect it to be, nor is at the time diving conditions were unsafe. a British caving team Minister of Tourism and Sports caving trip in the country when of year that you would prefer it to They had therefore decided to that conducted fur- (Kowsurat then re-wrote the he got the phone call that he be,” said Stanton. pack their bags and leave (rescu- ther surveys of the note in his own handwriting, so was needed. ers should never place themselves cave. Other mem- there are now two notes in exis- Stanton, Volanthen in a situation that can put them in bers included Martin tence). According to Unsworth, A British caver told me: “Rob and Harper arrive danger). Ellis, Phil Collett and his note to the minister said: “Time would only say he was doing “Nobody normally goes diving in Rob Harper. is running out! 1) Rob Harper; 2) what any caver would do in that a cave that is usually dry. When Whilst the Brits wished to help, nei- Unsworth suggested that the boys MBE; 3) John [sic] situation. No drama. No fuss. Just a cave like that floods, it is not a ther Stanton nor Volanthen want- On 24 June 2018, Unsworth had would not have gone into a part Volamthen—they’re the world’s get on with it. Rob is cool, calm nice place to be. Certainly not ed to end the rescue mission, not planned to visit the Tham Luang of the cave called Monk’s Series. best cave divers. Please contact and collected—the one to have a place for recreational explora- diving, and then stay onsite for system to see what the water lev- “It is not a very nice section of the them through UK Embassy ASAP.” on your side in a crisis.” tion. We were only there because many weeks whilst the children els were like and had prepared cave,” said Unsworth. “Most peo- of what was going on,” said Dr inevitably died. Reymenants, all his equipment ready for a solo ple go left and head for a section Later that evening, Kowsurat made Stanton and Volanthen are Richard Harris, an anaesthesiolo- however, felt it was possible to get cave trip. Instead, he received called Beach. It is a big a WhatsApp video call to British experts in low-visibility cave dives gist and diver from South in the water and did just that. By an early morning phone call. sandbank. Once I knew the way caver Rob Harper. This request was within small passages. “Rick is the involved in the rescue mission. doing so, he convinced the Brits Unsworth told CNN, “I got called on to the far end was blocked, not unexpected because there quiet man who quietly and con- It was hoped that the boys and that diving operations, although out at 02.00 Sunday morning (24 then it wasn’t going to be a job is a small team of British extreme tinuously, with incredible deter- their coach were still alive, and tricky, could go ahead. The three June) saying that children were for normal cavers. We needed cave diving explorers who assist in mination, starts at A and gets to had somehow found a dry space divers got on with diving and missing in Tham Luang. Can I people with diving experience.” these intense rescues. Z, and achieves things. Nothing to shelter, that would remain clear started to lay line. come and help? I drove straight stands in his way. He is one of of the rising water. The search had to the cave and I was there for Unsworth writes a note Experienced, those individuals who is going to therefore escalated into a major Reymenants was assisted by the whole 17 days.” Unsworth understood that whilst respected cavers get there,” said cave explorer military operation. Whilst Harper, fellow Thailand-based techni- the Thai SEALs were doing their Harper is a respected caver with and author . Stanton and Volanthen flew to cal divers Maksym Polejaka

83 X-RAY MAG : 87 : 2018 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO tech talk “Obviously it The first miracle we would shout, and we would On Monday, 2 July, Stanton and also smell. In this case, we smelt was dark, flooded Volanthen were once again div- the children before we saw them and there was ing ever deeper into the cave, or heard them,” said Volanthen. and laid 750m of line as they poor visibility travelled through the system. “We It was not surprising that Stanton underwater, and had been laying a line, path find- and Volanthen could smell the ing, and we were right at the very boys. They had been trapped in a lot of debris limit of our last piece of line … we the same location for nine days, in the cave from were actually under an airspace, and their bodies continued to previous attempts. so we could talk,” said Stanton. function normally. There would have been a strong stink of sew- There was wire, Procudure, not luck age. No wonder the cave divers electrical cable, “It has been mentioned by some could smell the football team. members of the press that it was pumps, tubing, all luck we found the boys. I would Brilliant! You are very strong sorts of things.” say that was absolutely not the “They heard us. We heard them,” case. We have a procedure for said Stanton. “The ledge wasn’t — John Volanthen this situation. Whenever there was really as described. They were an air space, we would surface, around the corner out of sight,

CAPT. JESSICA TAIT / US AIR FORCE of and Bruce Konefe of “They were saying in cave diving, cave diving experience under their the . I do not know if you have to be able to lay line. You belts. In this instance, “gnarly” is these two got upstream of the dive have to be able to have a way out, being used in a very understated base in Chamber 3. Amongst the if you’re going in, and the currents British way and can be translated other Thailand-based foreign div- right now are not manageable. into everyday language as “dire, ers who helped the SEALs (but not We’re battling, trying to move for- horrendous, grim and atrocious.” on the actual rescue dives) were ward. The rains are still falling, the Rafael and Shlomi Aroush of , flows are getting higher, the visibility Sunday, 1 July, dawned, and there Fernando Raigal of Spain, and Tim is zero, the water’s cold. Let’s take a was finally a break in the weather, Acton of the United Kingdom. I think minute and come at this from a col- which allowed the rescue dive team most of these guys left the scene lective perspective of how we can to set up an operating base in a after the football team were found. tackle a really complex problem.” chamber about 700m into the cave complex. Equipment and air cylin- Just over 24 hours later at 01.00 on “It’s when Rick Stanton uses the ders were bought in using a pulley the 28 June, men and women from system, whilst water pumps contin- the 353rd US Special Operations term ‘sporty’ that you want to ued to drain the rising flood water. Group landed in Thailand and joined get worried.” Stanton and Volanthen laid 800m of the international operation. The skills line from the Chamber 3 dive base of the team were — Martin Parker, AP Diving to Sam Yaek. to prove useful. They were soon briefed by the Brits. Gnarly diving Stanton and Volanthen would later On 28 June, men and women Derek Anderson, Master Sergeant, describe the open circuit dives as from the 353rd US Special told reporter Mark Willacy that “gnarly”. Between them, they have Operations Group landed the Brits feedback was invaluable. over 60 years of hardcore, extreme in Thailand and joined the international operation. CAPT. JESSICA TAIT / US AIR FORCE

84 X-RAY MAG : 87 : 2018 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO An Aga Divator full-face mask used during the Thai tech talk cave rescue mission. A plan was conceived to dive the boys out one-by-one, with each boy wearing a full- “We smelt the children face mask. But how do you “...’alive in a cave’ and make a full-face mask fit a before we saw them or very small Thai face? ‘alive outside a cave’ are heard them” two very different things.”

and they started coming mity of the situation, and and the cave system is successfully John: Raise your hands. down the slope, one by that’s perhaps why it took pumped clear of water, this will posi- BOY: Thank you. Thank you. one. As they were com- a while to get them out. I tively aid the rescue.” John: How many of you? ing down, I was counting was completely confident BOY: Thirteen. them—one, two, three— we would see them again. The group could be “dived out”; John: Thirteen? until I got to 13. So, when Having said that, ‘alive in a however, this is a high-risk . BOY: Yeah, yeah. John asked, ‘How many cave’ and ‘alive outside a It is a very long swim of 90-odd min- John: Brilliant. of you are there?’ I had cave’ are two very different utes and counting, in cold water, No, not today. Just two of us. We have to dive. already counted them things.” tight passageways and very poor BOY: [IN THAI] Diver says not today. all in. They were all there. or no visibility. A British Cave Rescue John: We are coming. It’s okay. Many people are Until we had the fact that Council spokesman said, “Although coming. we had all 13, I was a “All we could think water levels have dropped, the Rick: Many, many people. We are the first. Many people little concerned. But once about was how we diving conditions remain difficult. come. we got 13, that was fan- Any attempt to dive the boys and BOY: What day? tastic.” were going to get their coach out will not be taken John: Tomorrow. lightly because there are significant NEIL BROCK them out.” Rick: No, no, no, what day is it? They are asking. Monday. Stanton told me later technical challenges and risks to Monday. Okay, but one week... uh, Monday. You that Volanthen climbed out of the children were still alive. It was unbe- — Rick Stanton consider.” have been here for 10 days. You are very strong. water to talk to the boys. The boys lievable.” The amazing news broke in the BOY: [IN THAI] Who knows English? Translate for us. were all barefoot, and they easily United Kingdom at approximately The team in Thailand conceived BOY 2: [IN THAI] I can’t catch up with the words. scampered up the muddy slope. In good spirits 16.30, that the football team had a plan to dive the boys out one- John: Let’s go up. Okay, go back. We come, we come. The divers found the going a bit What was also unbelievable was been found in a relatively small, by-one, with each boy wearing a BOY: We are hungry. slippery in their welly boots. Stanton that the boys were in good spirits, dry air space south of Pattaya full-face mask. They liaised with the John: I know, I know. I understand. We come, okay? We said there was a small, welcome and they still had some working Beach. As the chimes of Big Ben , more specifi- come. moment of humour when a boy flashlights. Modern batteries have died away, newscaster Alan Smith cally Gavin Newman, to get things BOY 1: [IN THAI] Go up the top together. They will take our looked at his feet, then Stanton’s long burn times, but for the coach announced in quiet tones, “The moving in the United Kingdom. photos first. Wellington boots, and you could to manage the torches so that authorities in Thailand say that 12 Stanton said, “We opted to use BOY 2: [IN THAI] Tell them we are hungry. see the think bubble: “Why don’t after nine days, the team still had children and their football coach positive full-face masks BOY: [IN THAI] I’ve told them. They know. What day you you take your boots off and walk in light, was extraordinary. Stanton that have been missing in flooded because it was the best solution to come to help me? your bare feet up this mud bank?” handed off one of his lights to the caves for more than a week have protect the airway of the uncon- John: We come here, we have been diving here for team. It was time leave. “I made been found alive.” There were a scious boy. We didn’t have to what...tomorrow, we’ll help tomorrow. “Given the volume of water that them a promise that I would come lot of confused reports and figures worry about a regulator falling out Rick: The Thai Navy, the Navy, Navy SEAL will come we had seen come out of the back, and we did. We came back published such as “2.5 miles / 4 km or getting dislodged from a boy’s tomorrow. With the food, the doctor and everything. cave in the preceding couple of with food runs,” said Volanthen. from the entrance” because the mouth.” Today, a light? You have a light. We’ll give you more days, it was unbelievable that we US press did not understand met- light. found the boys, and they were all Massive relief tempered ric measurements. The team was Newman had a very busy few John: You go up, okay? Up, up. healthy,” said Volanthen. “We were with uncertainty found 2,250m from the entrance of days. He sourced, co-ordinated BOY: [THAI]: Come up. Brother, rush up. very pleased, and we were very “Of course, I was thinking OK, this the cave. and collected equipment from var- John: That looks fun! relieved that they were all alive. is just the start. How on earth are ious places in the United Kingdom BOY: Yeah, yeah. I am very happy. Cold was an issue. Some of the we going to get them out?” said What happened next? and got them onto short notice John: We are happy too. children were quite small, so we Stanton. “I was already on the next At the time, I wrote, “This is a chal- outbound flights to Thailand (it has BOY: Yes, thank you so much. Thank you. were quite concerned how stage. Great to have found them, lenging rescue, and it has not been to be said that Thai Airways was John: Okay the small children would hold up.” but it was no means certain what helped because it is monsoon sea- very supportive—this is not always BOY: Where you come from? Stanton added, “Of course, there the outcome would be.” Volanthen son. The weather factor cannot the case with the airlines). Newman John: , UK. was excitement, and relief that the added, “We realised the enor- be underestimated. If it stays dry also delivered key members of the

85 X-RAY MAG : 87 : 2018 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO Dr Richard Harris and flying home on a Royal Australian tech talk Air Force flight. Challen and Harris received the Star of Courage. Rick Stanton and John Volanthen (far right) received awards from the Royal Humane Society at Buckingham Palace when they received Royal Humane Society bronze medals, which are among the United Kingdom’s highest civilian bravery awards.

British res- Prepping equipment cue team Meanwhile, Brock spent Thursday, 5 to London July, prepping the OTS Guardian full- Heathrow, face masks, so that they were ready to and he be flown out to Thailand. Twenty-four worked with hours later, there was a change of plan Neil Brock because it was felt these masks would of Bristol not fit a small Thai face. Newman had

Channel received a request from the Brits in THE ROYAL HUMANE SOCIETY Diving Thailand that they wanted positive pres- Services to sure full-face masks. Brock consequently positive-pressure mask, so the gas is fed An “Apollo 13” moment gaffer tape or cable tie one of these problem serviced and prepped two Aga Interspiro into the mask and this helps prevent the In April 1970, there came a moment dur- masks onto the head of a small child and solve for Divator full-face masks. British police mask from leaking. The air pressure is high- ing the Apollo 13 NASA moon mission hope it works. the Brits drove these to Heathrow with blue lights er than the surrounding water pressure. If that it was realised that the Command already out flashing, to make sure they made the the mask leaks, air leaks out, water does Module was fitted with square filters Brock worked using materials and equip- in Thailand. overnight flight to Thailand. not leak in. This was especially important whilst the Lunar Module used round fil- ment he knew the Brits would have for this rescue mission. ters. These vital filters removed carbon access to in Thailand. He looked at bulk- A number of A full-face mask does not have a tradi- dioxide. A ground team at NASA was ing out a 5mm diving hood by adding a UK compa- tional mouthpiece. You simply breath in The Brits also needed an booster charged with making a square peg fit ring of extra neoprene to make a 10mm Dr Richard Harris stayed in nies quietly to take a breath. The majority of full-face pump. Brock sent his oxygen booster in a round hole using only items and seal. Newman knew that Interspiro pro- the cave until the last boys supported masks are negative pressure masks; there- pump to Thailand. equipment the astronauts would have duced an insert that could be put into the were out. the rescue fore, if there is a leak, the diver could also in space. NASA came up with a work- mask seal to make the mask fit slimmer mission from breathe in a fine spray of water. Hence, It should be noted that all the above ing solution, which was relayed to the faces, i.e. female fire fighters. Between afar. Peter Wilson at Miflex opened his divers will not dive a negative-pressure full- companies who donated equipment did astronauts, who were very relieved they them, they liaised with Chris Jewell in stock room and donated Miflex hoses, face mask in polluted water, because if so with the expectation that they would would be able to take up Thailand so that the masks would fit the OmniSwivel fittings and quick disconnect the mask leaks, there are potential health never see their gear again. No invoices again. children’s faces.  Swage Locks. These were collected by issues. The Aga Divator mask is a high-flow were raised. No money changed hands. Newman, and the stock was flown out It was done to support Newman and CONNOR ROE with Jason Mallinson and Chris Jewell. the Brits to get the foot- Brock’s “Apollo ball team out alive. 13” moment Dave Blackham of Espirit Film and related to Television also opened his cupboards, Newman said mid-way the full-face and Newman collected several Ocean through the rescue mis- masks: “Just Technology Systems Guardian full-face sion, “The support has how do you masks. Richard Major and Wraysbury Dive been really impressive. make a full- Centre became the “rescue post office”. Everyone is really pulling face mask fit Wraysbury received deliveries, donated together and helping a very small every single A-clamp adaptor they could us with offering us any Thai face?” lay their hands on, and provided very equipment that we need. You simply necessary subsistence (mugs of tea and Thank you.” cannot just bacon rolls) to a tired Newman. Equipment, including full- face masks, were rushed from England to Thailand on an overnight flight

Stretcher similar to the ones used in the Thai Caves SKEDSTRETCHERS.CO.UK / CLIFF

86 X-RAY MAG : 87 : 2018 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO

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