The Incredible Thai Cave Rescue

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This documentary provides an in-depth look at the 2018 rescue of a Thai football team trapped inside a cave. The soccer/football team from the Chiang Rai region in Thailand was trapped inside the Tham Luang cave, which had been flooded by storms.

Images via Getty, AP Newsroom
Map source by MapTiler / OpenStreetMap Contributors via Geolayers 3

[Joghurt]

Imagine being that one guy with the skillset of being both an anaesthesiogist and an expert cave diver with decades of experience and getting that call. Absolutely crazy rescue.

[robinannaniaz]

Here is a good example of why good CGI is necessary in depicting these kinds of stories.
I must have watched hours of news and footage of this rescue. I had absolutely no idea it was this mind-numbingly difficult.
The guys who gave and risked their lives, the Brits who kept going knowing they had no way back if they didn't find an air pocket, are beyond brave! The word hero is thrown around a lot these days, but if these guys aren't heroes, idk who is!

[rodgeers]

The stars truly aligned for these boys. It's insane to think about how they barely avoided death. The man who was an anesthesiologist and an experienced cave diver, who was just so happened to be friends with the cave diver who just so happened to be there during the incident, who just so happenedto have explored that cave extensively enough to be able to map it. And that team was only pointed to that cave, because ONE team member got picked up by their mom.

[umangtalukdar]

The combination of being an anesthesiologist plus being a seasoned diver...holy mother....he was born for this day literally

[scorchone]

To anyone who knows cave diving, the levels these guys went to to save these boys is absolutely above and beyond. "Swimming against the current, dragging ourselves along the sand with our hands" is absolute insanity. In cave diving, spatial skills and maintaining your orientation and visibility is critical. Dragging themselves like that in an already murky current must've kicked up an incredible amount of silt. Meaning these two civilian chads were already in passages with no visibility and also basically manufacturing the exact silt storm conditions which KILL most cave divers, intentionally, just to try to save people they'd never met. Absolutely incredible willpower, calm under pressure, and plenty of pure skill. Just crazy.

[aichabt]

Anesthesiologist and diver combo is absolutely insane talk about the right man at the right place .

[JCesarH]

The assistent coach wasn't mentioned much here, but he was a hero just as much as the rescuers in my book. Stuck in a cave with 12 kids and he was supposed to be the adult in this situation, yet he was only in his early or mid 20's himself. He did a great job at keeping the boys calm, and keeping their spirits up. He led meditation sessions with them and rationed their food. As oxygen in the cave got lower and lower "keeping them calm and leading them in meditation" was very important to minimize their oxygen use.

Let me add for al those getting upset: the caves were explored pretty regularly and all of them had been there before. The rains that flood the caves every year came months earlier than the usual rainy season, which causes the trouble. I don't think thats gross negligence on he coach' part. He didn't do anything out out of the ordinary going in there at that time of year, the weather justacted very diffrently than the locals had always known it to act that year.

[plootyluvsturtle]

man if the anesthesiologist cave diver was in a book people would complain about it being plot convenience. He’s like a real life self insert

[kradria]

I love the togetherness and selflessness of all those helpers daring to do this crazy rescue-mission.

[davidli]

These men are just so brave yet humble saying "We' just had a peculiar set of skills that were appropriate in that moment." Can't help have tears in my eyes. Salute to you all.

[YOOJOONKANG]

The quote “came with a price” was so incredibly powerful. Rest in peace to the two navy seals who passed away for the boys. You are truly unbelievable heroes.

[fei-hungwong]

I just realized... that one momma's boy saved their lives. If he had gone with them, there would have been no one that knew when they had gone.

[VleerLab]

Imagine what these kids and their coach went through. They were stuck in this cave system for 10 days, having lost all sense of time and slowly losing hope to even survive in the first place, only for a diver from England to show up and lead the team to rescue them. It's incredible that those first moments were caught on camera, it sent shivers down my spine to see that footage.
Incredible respect for the Thai navy seals, the foreign rescue efforts, and of course the two heroes who gave their lives in aiding the rescue.

[Mella]

I cry ugly when I hear that desperate "thank you" from one of the boys when they found. Could not imagine the feeling of fear and gratitude he has at that time.

[jdcje]

I'm a Scuba diver for nearly 20 years and this story always blew my mind. The amount of logistics, knowledge and risk they combined within days is just astonishing.

[ReinerMitAi.]

If someone made this rescue into a 4.5 hour movie I'd watch that twice. This is absolute insanity, imagine being that ONE GUY who's an anesthesiologist AND cave diver who just so happens to have a ton of experience with that specific cave. Just unreal

[murphyc]

I remember when this happened but had no idea how crazy the actual rescue efforts were

[overlord_]

The fact that they could still talk after 10 DAYS in the cave totally baffles me. Without food, and the youngest kid was still alive, that too makes me appreciate how the assistant coach handled the situation. I believe the 2 Navy seals are happy in heaven seeing the 13 gentlemen smile everyday.

[cal]

All the rescue team should get recognised forever. Such a brave task.

[javdensabivch]

when he said "what ultimately convinces him is not a change of his risk assessment but the realization that there's simply no better option" really comes to show how dangerous this entire thing was