Elon Musk has offered to help rescue the Thai football team who’re currently stuck inside a cave.
Being the Jackest of all trades billionaire living today, this comes hardly as a surprise. Musk will send his money to anything and everything, banter or ‘serious’. In this case, the latter.
The threat of more rain is putting major pressure on rescuers in northern Thailand, who are trying to find a way to get the 12 boys and their coach safely out of the flooded Tham Luang Nang Non cave complex.
The football team was found deep within the cave Monday night, (July 2). However, Thai authorities have said they want to get them out as soon as possible, but they’ll only attempt to move them when it’s certain they’re strong enough to leave, reports CNN.
Seven Thai Navy SEAL divers, including a doctor and nurse, spent Tuesday night cramped in the dark with members of the Wild Boar soccer team, who’ve been trapped inside the cave since June 23.
The boys and their coach are said to have sustained minor injuries like skin rashes, but divers managed to bring food to the boys, mainly grilled pork, sticky rice and milk.
They’re also being fed sacks of power gel to boost their energy.
The group remain stuck around four kilometres into the cave and nearly a kilometre underground, according to the latest information from rescuers.
‘Hi sir,’ a Twitter user beseeched Musk. ‘If possible can you assist in anyway to get the 12 Thailand boys and their coach out of the cave.’
Musk replied:
I suspect that the Thai govt [sic] has this under control, but I’m happy to help if there is a way to do so.
It’s not known how he could contribute to the rescue team’s efforts. Money isn’t exactly going to change the design of a cave. Still, it’s the thought that counts.
One of the immediate issues is the risk of water continuing to rise.
The boys, aged from 11 to 16, were found huddled together on a small, dry, incline, ganged up by water in a claustrophobic, pitch-black chamber.
Thailand is in the midst of its monsoon season and while Monday was comparatively dry, the rain resumed on Tuesday.
Pumps have been running to drain the cave complex, but any downpour could potentially deter efforts to salvage the team.
Anmar Mirza, a cave rescue expert, said:
Cave diving is incredibly dangerous for people who are very experienced doing it. And now you’re looking at taking people who have no experience or very little experience with diving, and putting them into a complete blackout situation, where they have to rely on a regulator and the tanks with them to breathe.
Tim Taylor, an experienced ocean explorer, said:
It’s a giant sponge so if the water rises anywhere on the water table, it affects the whole cave system. You don’t have to swim to dive.
The equipment does the work for you – you just have to be comfortable … to overcome that fear and learn. That is what’s going to be difficult to teach.
It’s not impossible… it’s not going to be done in a day. I would imagine they are going to take some time to train these kids.
Our thoughts are with all those affected.
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