Nine rescues that give hope to the boys found in Thailand cave – and prove miracles do happen
From the Chilean mining incident to the Miracle on the Hudson to the Apollo 13 sensation, we look at stunning rescue missions that give Thailand’s people hope 12 boys and their soccer coach trapped by floodwaters will make it out
On Monday, after a painstaking search by specialist divers, the emaciated group were discovered on a mud embankment, and the incredible moment when divers made contact with them was captured on a video released by Thai Navy SEALs.
There had been no contact with the boys, aged between 11 and 16, since they went missing with their 25-year-old coach on June 23, and the massive international rescue effort had for days been hampered by heavy rains that flooded the Tham Luang cave in northern Thailand.
Now the focus shifts to the arduous task of extracting the group from the winding chambers and narrow passageways of the 10-kilometre-long (6-mile-long) Tham Luang complex. Rescuers said on Tuesday they plan to supply the boys with up to four months’ food while a rescue can be planned, indicating the soccer team’s stay underground – and their families’ agonising wait on the surface – may not be over just yet.
But it proves miracles can still happen, and when they take do, the world is suddenly a better place. Here are nine other stirring rescue operations that brought together communities and captivated millions around the world.
How the Thailand cave rescue unfolded
1. Andes flight disaster (1972)