Thai cave rescue:
Operation resumes for remaining 8 boys, coach-- live updates
CBS News Last Updated Jul 8, 2018 9:23 PM EDT
Ex-U.S. Navy SEAL explains why so many divers are involved
Dave Sear, a former U.S. Navy SEAL, joined CBSN to explain why there are 90 divers involved in the rescue mission and what kind of assistance the U.S. can offer Thailand officials. Fifty of the rescuers are from Thailand and 40 others are from across the world. Sear said some of the divers are likely staging oxygen tanks and fixing lines of rope along the cave.
"A rope will go along the entire cave to guide them so they can find their way out of the cave. They will make sure it is in place. Then you are going to stage oxygen bottles or air bottles, depending on what they are using, along that route so that they can switch out as they go. They will have bottles there so they can refresh them, and put new bottles on. The other divers will get them out and replace them," Sear said.
Sear said the U.S. will likely offer planning and logistic experience in terms of coordinating equipment needed for the mission."We have some of the best divers in the world and, we can hook them up with internet, Skype, mobile stations and power sources," he said.
Anmar Mirza, national coordinator of the National Cave Rescue Mission, says the complexity of the rescue is off the charts.
"This is the most scary situation that a person could go through, said Anmar Mirza, national coordinator of the National Cave Rescue Mission. "You can't make a horror movie that would even compare... I've been involved in cave rescues for 30 years and I cannot even think of one that is this complicated."
"The trust factor between the children and diver makes it -- it's probably 90 percent of what gets them out of the cave," Mirza said.
An international team has taken shifts bringing them food, medical supplies and comforting letters from their parents. Their soccer coach even taught them to meditate to stay calm.
"The good news is that the first phase was successful, so they had an opportunity to show it works," Mirza said. "It's still dangerous but it's much better odds for the remaining kids to come out now because of those initial ones."
More:
https://www.cbsnews.com/live-news/thai-cave-rescue-operation-resumes-thailand-boys-soccer-team-2018-07-08-live-updates/"You can't make a horror movie that would even compare"
