Tham Luang caves closed from Feb 19 to retrieve rescue equipment

The Tham Luang cave in Chiang Rai province, the scene of a much-publicised international rescue mission last July, will close to all visitors from February 19 in order to allow Thai Navy SEALs to enter and recover equipment left inside.

Photo courtesy: Siraphop Srakaew

The mission, which captured the attention of media around the world and changed the youth’s lives forever, extracted 13 members of the local Mu Pa youth football team who were trapped inside by sudden flooding last July when they headed inside after football training.
Kavee Prasomphol, chief of the Tham Luang-Khunnam Nangnon national park in Mae Sai district, said the closure of the cave would also allow naval officers to document the scene inside the cave. The areas surrounding the cave remain open to the public.

Tham Luang caves closed from Feb 19 to retrieve rescue equipment

Photo courtesy: Siraphop Srakaew
On January 17, 2019, a SEAL team and rescue workers, including British cave diver Vernon Unsworth and park officials, inspected the cave’s interior and found a large quantity of abandoned oxygen tanks, pumps and other equipment.
They entered the cave system only as far as the third chamber, but have not yet reached the location where the footballers took refuge for more than two weeks.

Tham Luang caves closed from Feb 19 to retrieve rescue equipment