the blocked road to #ThamLuangCave this morning. 
the relatives’ room at the camp is empty.
10 ambulances inside the rescue camp.
all media and their cars are being told to leave the area by 9am.
all media and their cars are being told to leave the area by 9am.
american divers arrive at the site.
loudspeaker announcements are saying photos of rescue operations (whenever they happen) are prohibited, and people will be held responsible for the release of any “unsuitable” photos.
some reporters crowding the divers 😕 the divers are silent.
“attention media and all reporters, please clear all your belongings and leave the operation area by 9am.”
press now heading to the Pong Pha sub-district office, where there will be a press conference. we still don’t know when.
the rescue operation has not begun yet. the divers have not entered. but they will soon.
cops clearing the road leading away from the cave, presumably for the ambulances.
cars are now being towed from the road.
it’s drizzling at the cave.
ambulances have been driving along the exit road, but they’re probably empty. it will take hours for divers to go in and get the boys, and we’re not sure whether they’ve even begun yet.
from press conference with rescue chief/chiang rai governor: “today is the peak of our readiness.”
- 13 international cave diving experts went in at 10am, plus 5 thai divers
- drilling has been ruled out
- boys and coach are ready, parents have been informed
- 13 international cave diving experts went in at 10am, plus 5 thai divers
- drilling has been ruled out
- boys and coach are ready, parents have been informed
the rescue is on. #13ชีวิตต้องรอด #ถ้ำหลวง
they will be taken out gradually. soonest they will be out is 9pm.
they might not all be out today.
Rescue chief: “There’s no time limit for the operation. It depends on the weather. It depends on the water levels. If something changes, we’ll stop. But I expect the operation to finish within the next couple of days.”
most of the cave is walkable. water levels went down 30cm yesterday - the most in a single day so far.
rescue chief declined to say whether the boys would need to dive at all.
rescue chief: “Today we are most ready. Today is D-Day. Today at 10am, 13 foreign divers went in to extract the children along with five Navy SEALs."
guys with climbing gear outside the cave. not sure what their role is.
camera crews are camping out in the bushes near the entrance to the rescue site. it will be a long, wet wait.
now we’re at the new press center at the Pong Pha sub-district office, looking out over the mountains where the boys are trapped, waiting and hoping for them to come out.
