Photos: Officials ponder next moves after 12 boys, coach found safe in Thai cave
A top Thai official said Tuesday that heavy rains forecast for the coming days could worsen floods in the mountain cave where 12 boys and their soccer coach were located after being missing for more than a week, forcing authorities to speed up their extraction.
The 13 were located by rescue divers late Monday night in the cave in northern Chiang Rai province during a desperate search that drew international help and captivated the nation. Officials said Tuesday that the boys, aged 11-16, and their 25-year-old coach were mostly in stable medical condition and have received high-protein liquid food.
Interior Minister Anupong Paojinda, a member of the country's ruling military junta, said Tuesday that the boys may need to swim out using diving equipment ahead of bad weather forecast for later in the week. He said the boys would be brought out via the same complicated route through which their rescuers entered.
A top Thai official said Tuesday that heavy rains forecast for the coming days could worsen floods in the cave where 12 boys and their soccer coach were located after an exhaustive search, and could force authorities to speed up their extraction by having them dive their way out.