Thai Cave Rescue

wayneh

Joined Sep 9, 2010
17,496
The animation I saw of Elon Musk's sub made it look rigid. I wonder whether Playtex (who wove America's first space suits, https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts...ytex-have-to-do-with-neil-armstrong-16588944/) could have woven a water-tight and flexible mini-sub?
If the purpose of the sub is to avoid pressure effects on the occupant, I’m going to guess no. The space suit needs maybe 10psi inside with none outside and that helps form the structure. It’s like a plant cell with water pressure on the inside surrounded by a bag that provides the tension to complement the compression.

Deep under water, your craft needs to be very strong to withstand maybe 100psi or more on the outside with only 15 on the inside.
 

killivolt

Joined Jan 10, 2010
835
This Thread is gone, we only have one life who should be celebrated. And his family, or children will not have the enjoyment of his full commitment.

We have lives won and those who should see the light of success.

kv
 

RichardO

Joined May 4, 2013
2,270
Ahem, that was my post #55. I like to be prescient and my fragile ego requires that I be publicly recognized as such when I am. ;)
When you mentioned the idea I was *very* skeptical. Fortunately, you and the cave rescuers knew better. After seeing the details of the rescue I now appreciate why being calm was so important.
 

wayneh

Joined Sep 9, 2010
17,496
When you mentioned the idea I was *very* skeptical. Fortunately, you and the cave rescuers knew better. After seeing the details of the rescue I now appreciate why being calm was so important.
Ditto, I was skeptical of the wisdom of giving stressed children any pharmaceutical before a physically demanding procedure. This may be something SEALs have experience with.
 

WBahn

Joined Mar 31, 2012
29,979
From the little bit I heard on the radio today in interviews with some of the divers, it's apparent that for many of them this was the most challenging diving they have ever done. That makes it a lot more understandable that, sadly, one of them did not survive. That, despite the challenges, they stepped up to the plate should be hailed.
 

wayneh

Joined Sep 9, 2010
17,496
From the little bit I heard on the radio today in interviews with some of the divers, it's apparent that for many of them this was the most challenging diving they have ever done. That makes it a lot more understandable that, sadly, one of them did not survive. That, despite the challenges, they stepped up to the plate should be hailed.
I was thinking yesterday about the first guy(s?) to reach the kids. Can you imagine the abject loneliness of that effort? There was no guarantee of finding them at all, and a possibility of finding their bodies. Dark, wet, cramped. Every little bit of forward progress would remind you that you're just that much farther from freedom and safety yourself. Getting back is not a given. Coming up into that chamber to find a group of kids must have been quite a moment.
 

dl324

Joined Mar 30, 2015
16,846
Can you imagine the abject loneliness of that effort?
I've become claustrophobic in my old age and just thinking about what they went through causes me uneasy. If someone didn't brief them on the characteristics of the tunnel (i.e. narrow places, dead ends), they wouldn't know if they were going to get trapped themselves.
 

MrChips

Joined Oct 2, 2009
30,714
My last post was #60 on Monday and I had to leave to go camping for four days.
Here is what I have missed in the interim.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/12/world/asia/thailand-cave-rescue-seals.html

Thai Cave Rescue.jpg

Thai Cave Rescue 2.jpg




The two British divers, Richard Stanton and John Volanthen who discovered the boys were laying guide lines when they ran out of line. They then surfaced to discover the 12 boys and their coach on the ledge.

After the 13 were rescued, one of the water pumps failed and there was the grave danger of having 20 rescuers trapped in rising and gushing water with no diving equipment. Fortunately they all rushed out to safety.

Former Thai Navy SEAL Saman Kunan died while delivering tanks into the cave system. Three SEAL frogmen were hospitalized after their air tanks ran low.

Oxygen levels in the cave system dropped to a dangerous level of 15%. The normal level is 21%. This very likely increased the urgency to start the evacuation mission.

Of course, hundreds of people helped to bring this to a successful outcome.

At the top of the list are:

British cave expert Vernon Unsworth, living close to the Tham Luang Nang Non cave, had first-hand knowledge of the cave system.
British cave divers Richard Stanton and John Volanthen who were the first to reach the boys.
Australian doctor and experienced diver Richard Harris who stayed with the boys for three days and provided medical attention.
Ben Reymenants, a Belgian who owns a diving company in Phuket, Thailand.
Thai Navy SEAL Saman Kunan who lost his life in the rescue operation.

References:

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/12/world/asia/thailand-cave-rescue-seals.html
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/20...ivers-playing-leading-roles-thai-cave-rescue/
 

WBahn

Joined Mar 31, 2012
29,979
Heard on the news that there are already two movies in the making. I don't think I'm going to rush out and see either of them.
 
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