The ongoing search for a soccer team and their coach trapped inside a cave in Thailand is receiving ample attention on Chinese social media.
On Saturday, June 23, twelve boys aged 11-16 and their 25-year-old soccer coach went missing after they had entered the Tham Luang Cave in Thailand’s northern Chiang Rai province. They had finished their soccer practice earlier that day.
Apart from their 13 bicycles, soccer boots, and footprints near the cave’s entrance, there has been no sign of the team since.
Photo via @CGTN on Weibo.
According to Reuters, the cave’s network stretches 10 km (6 miles) into a mountainous and heavily forested area. Rescue workers believe floodwaters cut off the boys in a chamber.
Photo on Weibo of the coach with what is thought to be his football team.
Despite continuing heavy rain and floodwater hampering search efforts, the rescue mission has been going on around the clock. Over a thousand Thai soldiers and rescue workers are assisting in the search for the boys.
On Friday, rescuers were still hopeful that the young team and their coach could be brought out of the caves alive.
Beijing Peaceland Foundation Joins Rescue Operation
Besides specialist help from Japan, the UK and US, a team of Chinese cave rescue experts has now also joined the rescue operation in Chiang Mai. They arrived at the scene on Friday afternoon.
The team, consisting of six volunteers, are experts in cave rescue operations from the Beijing Peaceland Foundation (北京平澜公益基金会). They brought underwater drones, diving equipment, 3D imaging sensors, and other equipment to help the rescue operation.
The team has joined previous rescue operations in, among others, Nepal and Myanmar, according to Weibo news channel Thai Headlines (@泰国头条新闻).
Image source: Thai Headlines @泰国头条新闻.
The Peaceland Foundation (@平澜公益) wrote on Weibo: “We hope the boys come back soon, so they can play soccer again,” adding: “We hope that together with the people of Thailand these boys will be brought to safety soon.”
“Like a horror movie”
Rescue workers believe the boys might have crawled into the large series of caves through a narrow 15-meter tunnel. Due to the monsoon rain, that tunnel is now completely flooded.
While water is being pumped out of the caves, a possible new entry into the caves was discovered on Friday morning.
As news of the rescue operations has been making international headlines this week, many people on Weibo are also discussing it.
“I pray they are still alive,” one commenter on Weibo wrote, with hundreds of others expressing the same hope.
Image via @CGTN on Weibo
Some netizens are more skeptical, writing: “How can we be so sure they really entered the cave?” or: “What if this was premeditated?”
Many netizens are worried, saying: “This news has really made me emotional since I saw it,” and “This has made me so afraid for them.”
“Come home boys, your mothers are waiting for you,” others say.
“This is like a Thai horror movie,” one person commented: “I hope it’s just a bad dream, and that they’re out there playing soccer somewhere.”
By Manya Koetse
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