Thai Cave Disaster: Trapped Football Team Rescued After 17 Days

The Thai cave disaster involved a football team of 12 boys and their coach who were trapped in a cave due to rising water levels. The rescue mission involved the Thai government, Navy SEALS, and international bodies. Elon Musk proposed a small submarine made from SpaceX rocket parts to rescue the team. Learn more about the event and its aftermath.

Running head: THAI CAVE DISASTER
THAI CAVE DISASTER
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Table of Contents
Question 1............................................................................................................................2
Question 2............................................................................................................................2
Question 3............................................................................................................................3
Question 4............................................................................................................................3
References............................................................................................................................4

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Question 1
Who were they?
The disaster had taken place in a cave that is located in the Chiang Rai province of
Northern Thailand. The people who had been trapped within the cave were a group of twelve
boys who had visited the cave as a part of an expedition. The boys were identified to be the
members of the local football team named Wild Boars. The children were accompanied by their
coach. The major reason behind the entry of the children and their coach into the cave is
expedition. The members of the concerned football team were missing since the 23rd of June
2018 (News.com.au 2018). The children who had entered the cave got trapped due to the rise in
the water levels in the only passage way that connected the cave to the mainland.
Question 2
Why did they go into the cave?
The major reason behind the entry of the children and their coach into the cave is
expedition. The boys along with their coach had visited the cave on the 23rd of June in order to
participate in an adventurous expedition. The children who had been trapped within the cave
were there as a part of the expedition that was led by their coach. The members of the football
team were known to have entered within the cave within the intention of having an adventurous
expedition within the cave that has not been explored properly till date (Bbc.com 2018). They
were inquisitive about the narrow passage way that was the only entrance way to the cave.
However, they got trapped when the water levels arose in the given tract thereby trapping them
in the cave.

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Question 3
Who were the major figures in the government & international community responding to the
event?
The major governmental community figures that responded to the crisis situation that was
created within the country were the Navy SEALS who had been operating in the country of
Thailand. The initiatives were also undertaken by the Thailand government as well as the locals
who joined hands in the rescue mission. The rescue team consisted of 110 Thai Navy SEALS.
The international bodies that were responsible for the rescue mission were the members of the
British Cave Rescue Council (George 2018). The rescue team comprising of the members of the
British Cave Rescue Council consisted of three members majorly a veteran diver, a former
firefighter and an IT specialist. The help had poured in from a number of sources all over the
world.
Question 4
What did Elon Musk propose?
Elon Musk had proposed to send a small submarine in order to rescue the kids and the
coach who had been trapped in the cave that is located in the Chiang Rai province of Northern
Thailand. The children who had entered the cave got trapped due to the rise in the water levels in
the only passage way that connected the cave to the mainland. Elon Musk had suggested that the
structure submarine that he had proposed to provide would be made from the liquid oxygen
transfer tube of the Falcon rocket. This rocket was originally manufactured by SpaceX.
According to Elon Musk, the miniature submarine would take a minimum time of 17 hours to get
delivered to the authorities at Thailand (Browne 2018).

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References
Bbc.com 2018. The full story of Thailand’s extraordinary cave rescue. [online] BBC News.
Available at: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-44791998 [Accessed 16 Sep. 2018].
Browne, R. 2018. Musk proposes rescuing boys trapped in Thai cave with a 'submarine' made
from SpaceX rocket part. [online] CNBC. Available at: https://www.cnbc.com/2018/07/09/elon-
musk-sends-kid-size-submarine-to-help-thai-cave-rescue-mission.html [Accessed 16 Sep. 2018].
George, S. 2018. The Thai cave rescue ended in success. But only two weeks ago, it all seemed
hopeless. [online] CNN. Available at: https://edition.cnn.com/2018/07/11/asia/thai-cave-rescue-
full-story-intl/index.html [Accessed 16 Sep. 2018].
News.com.au 2018. How the boys escaped the cave. [online] NewsComAu. Available at:
https://www.news.com.au/world/asia/how-the-boys-and-their-coach-escaped-the-thai-cave/news-
story/68365fa1ac9cdc2e69725cd3531d38d2 [Accessed 16 Sep. 2018].