Drill on sending boys to hospitals after rescue

CHIANG RAI, June 30 (TNA) - Related officials this morning conducted a drill on sending 12 boys and their soccer coach to hospitals after they are rescued from being trapped inside a flooded cave. Helicopters are on standby near the narrow and deep cave and ready to fly the missing persons to at least two hospitals, one each in Mae Sai and in Chiang Rai provincial seat, for treatment. Simultaneously, officials have been pumping water from inside the cave. It is reported that the water has receded by between 8 – 9 centimetres. Search and rescue teams have admitted that high level of water as posed obstacles in their ongoing mission to reach the site where the missing boys and their coach are believed to be stranded. The Provincial Electricity Authority office in Chiang Mai has supplied power to additional 11 water pumps with the total pumping capacity of 3,000 cubic metres per minute to intensify draining water from the cave. (TNA)