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The Australian Federal Police dive team who were crucial in the rescue of 12 boys stuck in a Thailand cave has revealed what it was like to crawl through the dangerous system as the world watched.
The six divers spent nearly two weeks diving in the dark waters of the caves, with air tanks strapped to their backs.
They pushed through the constant risk of electrocution, rising carbon dioxide levels and losing the rope lifeline.
"Our days always started with a one kilometre hike in the cave along steep canyons of rocky 50-metre inclines and declines, to arrive at the entry of chamber one which was completely flooded," Senior Constable Matthew Fitzgerald said in an account released by the AFP.
"We were responsible for managing chambers 2-4 to secure the evacuation route, but this required diving in coffee-coloured water. We were better off closing our eyes and feeling our way through because we couldn't see a thing underwater."
![46 kilos of dive gear and air tanks strapped to the divers' backs.](https://imageresizer.static9.net.au/29slX3gc_fGUn3OV2DuUumOxcdk=/500x0/https%3A%2F%2F1.800.gay%3A443%2Fhttps%2Fprod.static9.net.au%2F_%2Fmedia%2F2018%2F09%2F11%2F17%2F08%2FThailand-cave-rescue-AFP-2.jpg)
![The AFP has revealed the inside story of the Thai cave rescue.](https://imageresizer.static9.net.au/1Bf5e0VZdZYiMr1wVQ1_fyuzyto=/500x0/https%3A%2F%2F1.800.gay%3A443%2Fhttps%2Fprod.static9.net.au%2F_%2Fmedia%2F2018%2F09%2F11%2F1109_afpthaicave.jpg)
The Thai Navy Seal divers had set up a rope lifeline that guided the divers through the water.
"The rope guided us through the chambers walking up and down slippery rock canyons, before diving back into water and tunnelling through narrow areas including along a 9m zigzag decent in chamber three," Senior Constable Matthew Fitzgerald said.
"If we lost the rope underwater we then had to focus on finding that rope, otherwise our life was in danger."
The aim of the mission was to keep the soccer team alive while they worked out the best way to extract them from the caves.
But, the pending monsoon made timing tricky.
![Detective Leading Senior Constable Chris Markcrow climbing through the narrow decent to enter chamber 3.](https://imageresizer.static9.net.au/N_AHLohpCMNcZdZUAa7416ijfLE=/500x0/https%3A%2F%2F1.800.gay%3A443%2Fhttps%2Fprod.static9.net.au%2F_%2Fmedia%2F2018%2F09%2F11%2F17%2F08%2FThailand-cave-rescue-AFP-6.jpg)
![Thai cave rescue](https://imageresizer.static9.net.au/NCpvEKrF7gBYyDoJYIblzHUyj3w=/500x0/https%3A%2F%2F1.800.gay%3A443%2Fhttps%2Fprod.static9.net.au%2F_%2Fmedia%2FNetwork%2FImages%2F2018%2F07%2F12%2F10%2F00%2FThaicave120718RS.jpg)
The team brought food supplies for the boys into the caves – passing them along in a chain to eventually reach chamber nine where the boys were holed up.
"We helped carry through snack bars, army style ration packs, bottled water, cooked rice and chicken, which was tightly wrapped in plastic to keep the water out," Leading Senior Constable Kelly Boers said.
With rain dumping more rain on the site, it was important to manage the water levels across the caves with the AFP dive team working with the Thai Navy Seals to modify the cave, allowing water to drain faster.
The AFP divers installed hundreds of air tanks, industrial pumps and piping into the cave to reduce water levels.
"The pumps ran on high voltage power with multiple live electrical wires running through the wet cave," Senior Constable Justin Bateman said.
"It provided power to the pumps and also some lighting but also meant we could control the flow of gushing water, which was almost impossible to swim against."
![The AFP dive team moved and installed hundreds of air tanks, industrial pumps and piping along the cave](https://imageresizer.static9.net.au/2RuOYOUuKiLRp11PxJoAi3Z_U5w=/500x0/https%3A%2F%2F1.800.gay%3A443%2Fhttps%2Fprod.static9.net.au%2F_%2Fmedia%2F2018%2F09%2F11%2F17%2F08%2FThailand-cave-rescue-AFP-5.jpg)
![The AFP dive team moved and installed hundreds of air tanks, industrial pumps and piping along the cave.](https://imageresizer.static9.net.au/U5BujZRDYM6Odb4B1XU06xJrRvs=/500x0/https%3A%2F%2F1.800.gay%3A443%2Fhttps%2Fprod.static9.net.au%2F_%2Fmedia%2F2018%2F09%2F11%2F17%2F08%2FThailand-cave-rescue-AFP-4.jpg)
But while the power was necessary for the pumps to reduce the water height, it did raise the risk of being electrocuted by electrical wires which added to the constant threat of rising carbon dioxide levels.
"We could feel the effects of the carbon dioxide, which affects the mind as well as the body," Detective Leading Senior Constable Ben Cox said.
"It causes confusion, and sometimes affected my ability to swim, so regular breaks were vital."
"We had sensors to see the O2 (oxygen) levels in different chambers. We knew it was low but we just had to support each other and be aware of fatigue," Sergeant Robert James said.
"We also had many injuries including a dislocated wrist, broken fingers, infected hands and feet, cuts and abrasions, and infected ears.
"But at the end of the day, we're police officers. Children's lives were at grave risk and we were prepared to help in any way we could."
And the entire world was watching their efforts.
The rescue captured the world’s attention, with media camped outside the cave ready to broadcast any information about the boys’ condition and how they might be rescued.
![AFP divers in the dark and murky waters of the cave system.](https://imageresizer.static9.net.au/A7e-TM3AenZJKoABYZhM-SNlr_Y=/500x0/https%3A%2F%2F1.800.gay%3A443%2Fhttps%2Fprod.static9.net.au%2F_%2Fmedia%2F2018%2F09%2F11%2F17%2F08%2FThailand-cave-rescue-AFP-3.jpg)
The Thai Navy Seals
The AFP divers worked closely with the Thai Navy Seals who Senior Constable Justin Bateman said were “absolutely brilliant”.
"The Thai Navy Seals never left the cave. They would sleep in the cave along different chambers and then continue on working. It demonstrated the type of commitment and strong work ethic they had to the mission," he said.
"Nothing was too much work for them. They were very inspirational. We saw the way they worked and communicated with each other, which made us work even harder. It also motivated the other international parties."
![](https://imageresizer.static9.net.au/ef_xzgcqAiypAlwHogEbQCTm3pM=/750x0/https%3A%2F%2F1.800.gay%3A443%2Fhttps%2Fcf-images.ap-southeast-2.prod.boltdns.net%2Fv1%2Fstatic%2F664969388001%2Fffb09332-ca9d-4847-a7a6-6f515ff81281%2F2d9120a1-aebf-4853-8a39-173e6ff8013b%2F640x360%2Fmatch%2Fimage.jpg)
![Senior Constable Justin Bateman tunnelling through the cave with the rope](https://imageresizer.static9.net.au/7vq7TeNItxGa7rLRTIsfkz5lxsw=/500x0/https%3A%2F%2F1.800.gay%3A443%2Fhttps%2Fprod.static9.net.au%2F_%2Fmedia%2F2018%2F09%2F11%2F17%2F08%2FThailand-cave-rescue-AFP-1.jpg)
Rescue Day
Senior Constable Matthew Fitzgerald said when the call came through the first boy was on his way through the caves, “we all held our breath until he surfaced within our chamber”.
In chamber three, the pumps had managed to reduce the water levels meaning the divers were able to move the boys above water.
"Once he was handed over to us, we were down at his face mask just listening for that breath," Senior Constable Matthew Fitzgerald said.
"He was breathing—there was instant relief."
Detective Leading Senior Constable Christopher Markcrow said the “single biggest risk” for the boys was drowning.
"The boys wore face masks, however these were designed for adults, not young boys,” he said.
It was up to the rescue divers to ensure no rocks or stalactites dislodged the boys’ face masks.
"We kept the rescue moving, passing the first boy to the next group in the following chamber where Thai medics, rangers and ambulances were waiting," Senior Constable Matthew Fitzgerald said.
![Senior Constable Matt Fitzgerald and Senior Constable Justin Bateman.](https://imageresizer.static9.net.au/kQYrsWiSD6li3Wvw5pZB8geTBEk=/500x0/https%3A%2F%2F1.800.gay%3A443%2Fhttps%2Fprod.static9.net.au%2F_%2Fmedia%2F2018%2F09%2F11%2F17%2F08%2FThailand-cave-rescue-AFP-8.jpg)
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In chamber two, a flying fox pulley system was developed to move the boys through the evacuation route.
"It was pretty surreal. There wasn't time to take a breath, when the next boy arrived," Sergeant Robert James said.
"We went into work mode, and once the first four boys were through we thought 'we've got this—100 percent we can pull this off'."
But it was a race against time.
Over the next 48 hours the rest of the boys slowly made their way out, with the soccer players believed to have chosen the succession of who was evacuated first based on who lived the furthest away.
![Narrow tunnels across the chambers were some of the challenges faced by the divers.](https://imageresizer.static9.net.au/g7ppCHCnbYHwChFSBqaZMzZofQw=/500x0/https%3A%2F%2F1.800.gay%3A443%2Fhttps%2Fprod.static9.net.au%2F_%2Fmedia%2F2018%2F09%2F11%2F17%2F08%2FThailand-cave-rescue-AFP-7.jpg)
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Successful mission
The AFP dive team was the last to exit the cave on the final day of the rescue mission.
"After we all exited the last chamber, everyone started clapping and cheering, and celebrating the success of what we thought would be mission impossible," Sergeant Robert James said.
"It was a great moment and something that we will never forget."
As a result of getting the boys out alive, the AFP dive team were awarded the Order of Australia and Bravery medals.