The main (critical) water pump failed last night, shortly after the 13th and last evacuation, endangering the lives of the remaining rescuers who had been deep in the caves all day.
The final four Thai Navy SEAL who were clearing the flooded cave where 12 boys and their soccer coach were rescued, barely made it out after the main pump that had been siphoning water out of the cave failed. The information was confirmed this morning (Wednesday 11th July) by Thai military sources who were directly involved in the operation. The system, which had pumped hundreds of millions of gallons of rainwater out of the cave over the past 18 days gave out soon after rescuers extracted the coach and the four Thai Navy Seals who had volunteered to stay with them. Thai SEAL and support teams, who were carrying air tanks from the third to the second chamber of the labyrinthine cave, soon noticed the waters rising. The third chamber filled, then the second and then the first, as crews scrambled to avoid the kind of cave flooding that had trapped the soccer team on June 27, according to Thai military sources. Dozens of military personnel and civilians began abandoning the cave, leaving behind hundreds of air tanks. Some of the tanks belonged to the SEAL. Others had been donated by Rama X, King of Thailand,
The Australian doctor who was the last man out of the Thai cave following the rescue of the Wild Boars soccer team has been hailed a hero. Unfortunately this has been tempered with news that his father passed away in Australia last night.
Thai Navy SEAL commented today, "We are not sure if this is a miracle, a science, or what. All the thirteen Wild Boars are now out of the cave."
Did we witness a miracle? For those of us praying and meditating and sending light to the rescue operation just a few hours north of our home here in Northern Thailand, we think yes. We did. Unequivocally.
But on reflection, the REAL miracle - or miracles - are other than getting everyone out minutes before the final and total flooding of the cave.
The biggest miracle is encapsulated beautifully in this cartoon doing the rounds on Thai media yesterday and today. It is a cartoon by Thai artist Sisidea, who has given permission for it's copying and use, as long as the MEANING is also explained. It is used with permission from the Thai Navy SEAL facebook page.
According to Aor Panasoot's translation, each animal in the artwork represents a different person or group involved in the operation:
Wild Boars: The children and coach
White Elephant: Governor Narongsak [Osottanakorn]
White horse: "All heroes…involved in the mission. You are the knight in shining armour riding the white horse to help us!"
Seal: "Of course…Thai Navy SEAL Hooyah!"
Frog: The divers
Naga (Dragon): Water pumping and drilling teams
The rescuers from around the world are represented by:
Lion: England
Kangaroo: Australia
Panda: China
Crane: Japan
Moose: Sweden
Tiger: Myanmar
Brown Elephant: Laos
Dog: K9 unit
Martin: Climbers from Libong, Thailand
Eagle: United States
And others:
Iron man: Elon Musk
Birds: The media
Crow: "Just some bad comments/people/obstacle. No need to pay much attention."
The miracle truly has been in the international-human cooperation. Australia and USA got (and created) a lot of press and self-serving back-patting, as did Elon Musk (although methinks he could use a media training session or two after this morning's ungracious debacle). What didn't we hear about? Who didn't blow their own trumpets but worked every moment doing the same dangerous work? The quiet miracle is surely the Thai Navy SEAL who put all ego aside, the Chinese divers, the Swedes, the Burmese, the Laotians and the Japanese. We also didn't hear much internationally about the Thai farmers whose annual rice crops have been destroyed by the pumped floodwaters WHO REFUSED COMPENSATION cos they simply felt they were doing their part.
Yes, the boys and Coach Ek all getting out alive is a miracle.
Yes, the pump holding out JUST long enough is a serious miracle.
But the biggest miracle is that we CAN work together, we CAN envisage and energetically bring about change in the physical world, and we CAN set aside differences, work together and bring out the best in each other.
Footnotes: Many of the divers have last night and today flown to the south of Thailand to help retrieve the still-trapped bodies of the Chinese tourists who died several days ago in the ferry disaster off Phuket.
A moment of respect for the former Thai Navy SEAL, Major Saman Gunan, who lost his life bringing in oxygen tanks so the rescue could even be contemplated.
Photos courtesy of bbc.com
