Former Chiang Rai governor Narongsak Osotthanakorn announced Sunday night that four survivors were safely extracted out of the flooded cave and are now in the hands of doctors at Chiang Rai Prachanukroh hospital.

As for the eight other survivors who are still stranded inside the cave, he said he could not say exactly when the next extraction operation would start, adding that it would be launched within the next 10-20 hours, depending on the conditions whether they are conducive for the launch of the operation.

The ex-governor also pointed out that all the oxygen tanks which were previously placed at intervals along the rescue route in the cave from the forward command at Chamber 3 to the mound where the rest of the survivors are now sheltering have been used up and replacement oxygen tanks will be placed again.

All teams who were involved in the rescue operations today would meet tonight to assess their operations today to find out the flaws if there are any and to fix them, said Mr Narongsak.

Besides the 13 international divers and five Navy SEAL frog men who carried out the extraction mission to bring four survivors out to safety today, the former governor disclosed that about 90 divers – 40 from several countries and 50 Thais – were involved in the operations today.

“This is just one step of achievement,” said Mr Narongsak as he described the success of the extraction operation today.