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Thailand cave rescue: all 12 boys and coach successfully rescued

theguardian.com

81–90 of 569 posts

Re: Thailand cave rescue: all 12 boys and coach successfully rescued

#81
post #6

Awesome! I love how the global diving community came together to rescue them, it's unfortunate that Petty Officer Saman Gunan died after doing a run of oxygen tanks to the caves though. I even liked how Musk came out of left field "grab that tube, we're making a rescue pod!" and then hopped on a plane with it when it was tested and ready. While it didn't really matter I like that sort of thinking outside of the box a…

Musk had no business being involved. Really, 'inventing' a MVP prototype of a submarine which he 'tested' in a swimming pool and then intended to test for real on live children, when an existing rescue effort underway was working? This was egoism at its finest, taking public credit for 'helping' with a rescue he wasn't invited or asked to help with. And the media ate it up hook, line and sinker.

I’ll take prototype-producing egoism and PR stunts over “not my job”-ism any day.

Re: Thailand cave rescue: all 12 boys and coach successfully rescued

#83
post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Musk had no business being involved. Really, 'inventing' a MVP prototype of a submarine which he 'tested' in a swimming pool and then intended to test for real on live children, when an existing rescue effort underway was working? This was egoism at its finest, taking public credit for 'helping' with a rescue he wasn't invited or asked to help with. And the media ate it up hook, line and sinker.

>and then intended to test for real on live children, when an existing rescue effort underway was working? It was a good alternative to telling them to hold their breath and dragging them through dark and claustrophobic submerged spaces... They tested it to make sure it was water-tight and easy to maneuver. Worst case you throw an oxygen tank in it and put a full-face regulator on each kid in the event it would have…

Clearly that wasn't the alternative here, seeing as the rescue was speedy and successful, so your comment is devoid of content.

Re: Thailand cave rescue: all 12 boys and coach successfully rescued

#84
post #51

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> For 9 days without eating and living in their own shit in the dark Not to mention the cold. There's a hero-story about the coach that's yet to be told I reckon.

Somewhere it was mentioned that the temperature in the cave was about 23°C (73°F).

Oh wow. I wouldn't have expected that deep underground in a flooded cave at all!

Re: Thailand cave rescue: all 12 boys and coach successfully rescued

#85
post #12

It was a near tragedy, a man died in the process, but someway it is comforting to see everybody concentrated on a problem like this, trying to help fellow people, than waging war etc.

"Near" tragedy? A man died.

It could have been so much worse, is what he's saying. Nobody is downplaying the death of the rescuer.

Re: Thailand cave rescue: all 12 boys and coach successfully rescued

#86
post #62

Awesome! I love how the global diving community came together to rescue them, it's unfortunate that Petty Officer Saman Gunan died after doing a run of oxygen tanks to the caves though. I even liked how Musk came out of left field "grab that tube, we're making a rescue pod!" and then hopped on a plane with it when it was tested and ready. While it didn't really matter I like that sort of thinking outside of the box a…

It's "awesome" but the cynic in me sees this as PR stunts and nothing else. Every day 150,000 people die. The media "happened" to latch onto this story and make it the headliner for an entire week. Objectively speaking, and at the risk of sounding like a cold hearted bastard, the life or death of 12 people isn't important news compared to other things that are happening right now. Then, types like Musk grabbed this o…

If you label PR stunt a desire to help someone in need, you are further damaging that someone in need.

Re: Thailand cave rescue: all 12 boys and coach successfully rescued

#87
post #51
post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The amazing part to me is that it was 12 kids and one adult. Between the fear and the biological needs, I wonder what kept them alive for so long. First, the first time I fasted I was quited stressed about it, and it was in controlled, cozy environment. Second, they didn't know if anybody would come. Not even if somebody could come. For 9 days without eating and living in their own shit in the dark, they wondered. I'…

> For 9 days without eating and living in their own shit in the dark Not to mention the cold. There's a hero-story about the coach that's yet to be told I reckon.

Caves are generally the average yearly temperature of the area they are found in, also given that the water was rainwater and not spring water I’d imagine that unless the boys were like waste deep in water the entire time they were probably rather warm given the tropical location of Thailand.

Re: Thailand cave rescue: all 12 boys and coach successfully rescued

#88
post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Near" tragedy? A man died.

but not for nothing - he was instrumental in saving 13 lives

just this. It's trite to say it, and I'm sure it's cold comfort to his family, but we all die, and this person went out saving lives, young lives with lots of years to save, and in service to others. His death is somber and sad, but not tragic.

Re: Thailand cave rescue: all 12 boys and coach successfully rescued

#89

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Call me cynical, but I couldn't help but notice Musk seemed to be going about his effort with the maximum amount of tweeting and publicity possible.

His efforts turned out to be a bit of a damp squib but that's because the rescue effort was launched earlier than expected due to coming heavy rains. There was talk about having the kids wait in there until as late as November, or maybe a long process of drilling an escape hole. If the rescue had begun a week or two later, perhaps Musk's gadget would have been used. As it is, the divers already had a plan that, by th…

perhaps Musk's gadget would have been used

The cave was too narrow in sections for a diver to pass through still wearing his cylinders. How exactly was a sub supposed to get in?

Re: Thailand cave rescue: all 12 boys and coach successfully rescued

#90

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Call me cynical, but I couldn't help but notice Musk seemed to be going about his effort with the maximum amount of tweeting and publicity possible.

I wonder how many on HN are thinking more about Elon Musk's now-not-needed rescue plan than the delight those mothers of those boys must be feeling! There is also a tragedy going on in Japan right now with a lot of people actually with us no more. But a few million people with flooded homes is a 'statistic' whereas a few boys in a cave is a 'tragedy' to paraphrase Stalin. I think that there is a time for offering ass…

"There is also a tragedy going on in Japan right now with a lot of people actually with us no more."

This is true, and a tragedy, but I think it's natural for "12 kids in great jeopardy" to draw more interest than 100+ people who are already gone due to a flood and perhaps couldn't have been saved.

To be honest had the kids been found dead in the cave, it would have been a relative blip on Western media like the flood deaths in Japan or the 41 dead in the sinking of the Phuket tourist boat.

"He was willing to help many desperate people that happened to get into the news, however he helped out anonymously or in a way where it was clear that publicity was not sought"

In this case, talking about it on Twitter was probably an easy way to get in touch with the relevant authorities at the rescue site.

Similarly, when he offered PowerWall batteries to help Puerto Rico, perhaps that made it easy for people who knew where they were needed to get in touch with him.

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