Hi, this is Jim Denison with Denison Forum, and this is the Daily

Article for Wednesday, July 4, 2018.

Twelve boys and their soccer coach went missing in a northern Thailand cave on June 23rd.

The time Luang Nang Nong Kave System is a local tourist attraction, but can flood severely during

the rainy season. The boys and their coach

became stranded in the dark tunnels by a sudden and continuous downpour. Divers found them

alive Monday evening. The video of their discovery made headlines around the world, but their

saga is far from over. The wild boar soccer team and its coach are trapped 1.2 miles into the cave,

somewhere between 800 meters and one kilometer below the surface. They were found huddled together

on a small incline surrounded by water in a pitch-blank chamber. Huge pumps are now running to drain

the cave complex so the boys can be rescued.

However, Thailand is in the midst of its monsoon season.

Heavy rains could make it impossible for the team to hike to safety.

Bringing the team out the way the rescuers went in is especially perilous.

Cave diving is dangerous, even for experienced divers. The safest option could be

to leave the boys in place until water levels drop or a new entrance is discovered. However,

if water levels rise too high, they could threaten the boys where they are. Officials stated this

morning they will not attempt to move the boys before Thursday. They're working to set

up phone lines inside the cave so the boys can talk to their parents. Two weeks ago, the boys and

their coach may have taken their freedom for granted. I doubt they will ever do so again.

The year was 1826, and America's 50th Independence Day was approaching.

Roger Chu Waitman, the mayor of Washington, planned a great celebration.

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