
12 boys one coach explored cave with zeal
cave water fast rising
until
Entrapped in 336 hours’ fearful ordeal
no way out but deeper down
still
friendship, endurance exulted triumph beyond chill
behold, all
unscathed.

P/s: the poem is based on a true story of a football team of 12 boys and their young coach. They went to explore a cave on 23rd June 2018, intending to spend an hour there but were soon trapped inside by rising water due to heavy rainfall. They were trapped underground for two weeks instead. They were later found to be 1km below surface on a ledge surrounded by water. To reach the boys, divers were used. Total distance to reach the boys: 2950m (1500 on foot, 1450m diving). It was a major coordinated operation involving the locals and multinationals (naval seals, divers, medical, and supplies). Against many odds, the boys survived the ordeal.
I remember that! I wonder how that event has affected them, how present it is for them 4 years on.
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One of their rescuers died, as I recall, trying to save them. Was quite the riveting ordeal. May it not repeat.
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Yes, I remember that story but I’m pretty sure one of the divers died saving the life of one of the boys. He arrived later to help them and sacrificed his own life and gave his oxygen supply to one of the boys.
Still, you have told the story very succinctly above.
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He was one who arranged supply for other rescuers. The British specialized professional rescuers were the ones who took the greatest risk to get inside and searched and found the boys alive and finally transported them in two and half hours of highly risky journey which required both moving by foot and diving in muddy and Zero visibility waters.
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The transportation if the 12 boys were carried out in three days as they could only do four at a time.
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Oh! I remember the severe worry and apprehension I had when this happened. A miracle.
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Yes. Thank you.
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I did not know of this. Well told. Great explanation follows. Nicely done.
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thank you!
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I remember it well and you’ve somehow described that event in a mere handful of words. Well done!
My thirty-four!
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Thank you!
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