A Danish diver, Claus Rasmussen, has been assisting the Thai Navy Seals with the operation of rescuing the 12 kids and their soccer coach who has been trapped in a cave in Northern Thailand for 2 weeks.
The Danish professional diver Claus Rasmussen arrived shortly before a British diver made it far enough into the cave to find the boys who went missing on the 23rd of June after flooding in the cave prevented them from leaving the cave, Tham Luang near Chiang Rai in Northern Thailand, which they had entered on 23 June 2018.
Danmarks Radio interviewed Claus Rasmussen about his work while plans were still made how to extract them from the flooded cave.
“On one side it has been hard and stressful, but on the other side it is amazing to experience the community and to see that a lot of people are ready to help,” he says.
“I have a son who’s 11 and a daughter who’s 13, so they’re the same age, so both my wife and I are going through some large feelings and she willingly send me up here to risk my own life in saving the children,” he says to Denmarks Radio.
They have to remain calm
Claus Rasmussen arrived on the 2nd of July, shortly before the children were discovered:
“I’m on stand-by,” he says.
“I was extremely happy to hear that the children were discovered even though I would have liked to enter the cave and help find them,” Claus Rasmussen, who has been on stand-by for the past two days, says. So he has been an adviser to the diving teams, particularly since he is used to working with children, something the Navy isn’t.
“The children don’t have to learn how to dive but they have to stay strong and clearheaded so they remain calm when they are transported out of the cave,” Claus Rasmussen says.
Believes in success.
On the question whether the initial rescue will be successful, Claus Rasmussen is optimistic:
“I think it will be difficult and hard for the special forces, but I think they will get them out safe,” he says.
When they were discovered, the special forces provided them with food, water, and blankets and it has been said that the team was in good mood.
The date for the initial rescue hasn’t been disclosed yet, but the teams are these days conducting practice rescues to prepare.
