The last remaining members of the Wild Boar soccer team and their coach have been freed from the flooded Thailand cave, ending a nearly three-week harrowing and dangerous rescue mission.
The rescue mission was accomplished at 6:30 p.m. local time on Tuesday, less than nine hours since the last leg of the mission commenced to rescue the remaining four boys and their coach, according to Thai Navy SEALs.
The Thai Navy SEALs announced that the “12 wild boars are out of the cave and their coach. Everyone is safe,” bringing joy and peace to those around the world that wished for the young men’s safe return.
BREAKING: Thai Navy SEALs say all 12 boys and their coach rescued from cave, ending an ordeal that lasted more than 2 weeks.
— The Associated Press (@AP) July 10, 2018
“We are not sure if this is a miracle, a science or what. All the thirteen Wild Boars are now out of the cave,” the SEALs later posted.
The last group to emerge from the cave was a team of four Navy SEALs, including a doctor who stayed with the trapped soccer team the entire week after they were discovered in the cave.
According to CNN, the last four boys and their coach have all been transported to the hospital where eight of their teammates are being treated in an isolation ward in a Chiang Rai hospital after being rescued on Sunday and Monday.
Medical officials told reporters that the boys are healthy and “seem to be in high spirits.”
Two of the boys rescued on Sunday are suspected of having a lung infection, according to CNN. Jedsada Chokedamrongsook, the permanent secretary of the Thai Health Ministry, said that the parents of the first four boys to be rescued have been able to see their children through a glass window and talk to them over the phone, and the parents will be reunited with their sons after tests show the boys are free of infection.
All of the boys are likely to stay in the hospital for a week as the boys’ immune systems grow stronger.
The rescue operation began on Sunday, when rescuers were able to extract the first four boys from the cave, and the rescue team, made up of divers and experts from around the world, raced against the clock and fought dangerous conditions and insurmountable odds to successfully remove all 12 boys and their coach from the cave.
According to ABC News, after replenishing supplies and allowing divers time to rest, the final rescue efforts began Tuesday morning with 19 divers entering the cave, with two divers escorting each of the boys out of the cave.
“If everything goes to plan, all will come out today,” an official said at a press conference Tuesday afternoon.
After the news broke that the rescue mission had been successful, officials and leaders congratulated the team’s heroic efforts and wished the boys a speedy recovery, including President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump.
“On behalf of the United States, congratulations to the Thai Navy SEALs and all on the successful rescue of the 12 boys and their coach from the treacherous cave in Thailand. Such a beautiful moment – all freed, great job!” Trump wrote.
On behalf of the United States, congratulations to the Thai Navy SEALs and all on the successful rescue of the 12 boys and their coach from the treacherous cave in Thailand. Such a beautiful moment – all freed, great job!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 10, 2018
“Wonderful to hear all 12 boys & their coach are out of the cave in #Thailand. What an amazing & heroic global effort! Wishing them all a speedy recovery,” Mrs. Trump tweeted.
Wonderful to hear all 12 boys & their coach are out of the cave in #Thailand. What an amazing & heroic global effort! Wishing them all a speedy recovery.
— Melania Trump (@FLOTUS) July 10, 2018
Nopparat Kanthawong, the team’s head coach, told CNN that he had been waiting for this day for a long time, adding, “I can sleep well now and have good dreams at least for this one night.”
Kanthawong said he is eager to comfort and embrace his soccer players now that they have been rescued.
“I’m going to give them a hug,” he said.