Thank goodness it’s all over.

After two suspense-ridden weeks, 12 boys and their soccer coach who were trapped in a flooded cave in Thailand’s Chiang Rai province were rescued.

Since June 23, the Wild Boars soccer team, ages 11 to 16, and coach Ekaphol Chantawong were trapped in the Tham Luang Nang Non cave, after rising water kept them from exiting through the main entrance.

As part of the rescue operations, a team of expert divers ventured into the cave to guide the boys and their coach through the narrowed passageways to the main entrance.

So how did they pull it off?

It wasn’t an easy operation, with a few hitches along the way.

Although people around the world were relieved when the boys were found by two British divers, panic set in regarding how to get them out, reports Vox:

Some sections of the cave were fully submerged in water and the journey seemed treacherous for the boys … Rescuers began to frantically pump water out of the cave, while oxygen levels in the cave began to drop on Friday [June 29].

As the threat of more rains that could further flood the cave loomed, a rescue mission to get the team … out of the cave began in earnest on Sunday morning.

The Guardian has more:

[On Thursday, June 28] Water pumps [were] brought in to drain the rising flood water, which is so murky it is likened to swimming through coffee. British divers and others scour the mountain for alternative entrances. Drones [were] sent to help find new chimneys that reach down into the cave.

On Monday, July 2, the boys and Chantawong were discovered. By Thursday, July 5, the authorities announced they were able to reduce the water levels in the first section of the cave by 40%, allowing it to be possible to gain access to the boys and provide them with food, foil blankets and medical supplies.

But time was running out – the success of the rescue operation depended on whether monsoon rains would pick up:

The route the boys and divers needed to travel to get out of the cave was two point five miles [four kilometres] from the cave entrance, and portions of it are submerged, but not all.

Determined to beat the clock, at least 13 specialist divers and five Thai Navy SEALS were sent in to get them out. The plan was to pair each person being rescued with two divers, and fit them with scuba-diving equipment, as seen in this graph:

However, the operation was full of risks, as compounded by the death of Saman Kunan, a former Thai Navy Seal who died during an overnight mission to place oxygen canisters along the route on Friday, July 6. His own oxygen had run out.

Combined with cave air quality worsening and a deluge reported to be on the way, people on the outside were growing panicked.

Nevertheless, authorities launched the rescue operation on Sunday, July 8 with positive results:

Four boys were recovered as the rescue operation was launched. Accompanied by divers, the first two emerged from the cave roughly 10 minutes apart. Two hours later another pair came out, again 1o minutes apart. All were taken immediately to hospital in the city of Chiang Rai.

[On Monday, July 9] Another four members of the Wild Boars were rescued as the mission resumed successfully. A larger team of divers and rescue workers managed to bring the boys out in a faster time than the previous day. All four were airlifted to hospital in the nearest city, Chiang Rai …

After 18 days the final four boys and their coach were rescued from the cave [on Tuesday, July 10] to complete the three-day rescue operation. The last of the Wild Boars then followed their team-mates to hospital where they will be kept in isolation for up to seven days to avoid the risk of infection.

Mentally and physically, we can only speculate how long the boys and their coach will take to recover from the ordeal, but at least they’re safe and will soon be reunited with their families and friends.

Too bad Elon Musk’s mini-submarine idea didn’t work out.

[sources:guardian&vox]