Thai Cave Rescue: How Elon Musk’s 'Kid-Size' Submarine Could Assist Mission

Update: 6:45 a.m. EDT- Rescue workers brought out a fifth boy at 5 p.m. local time (6 a.m. EDT) Monday from the cave in Thailand, the Guardian reported. Reports stated a sixth boy was nearing the exit of the cave.

Original story

The 16-day-long ordeal of four boys, who were part of a 13-member group, trapped in a flooded cave system in Thailand ended Sunday as they were brought out safely by rescuers.

The 12 boys — members of a Thai youth soccer team and aged between 11 and 16 — and their coach were trapped in the Tham Luang Nang Non cave system June 23 following heavy rains; however, they were found alive a week later by divers. An international-level rescue mission began soon after, with hundreds of experts and military personnel from various countries arriving at the spot. Billionaire tech entrepreneur Elon Musk was the latest to pitch in.

Musk on Sunday shared photos and videos of a small submarine-like vessel that could help rescue the group stranded on a muddy ledge about 2.5 miles from the cave's main entrance, and about half a mile below the surface. The images showed a team of SpaceX engineers testing the device in the swimming pool of a Los Angeles high school. He said the “tiny, kid-size submarine” was designed using “the liquid oxygen transfer tube of [SpaceX’s] Falcon rocket as hull."

The Tesla chief also posted a video showing three people in scuba gear pulling the tube of the device in a pool, and later another clip where a man comes out of its roughly 6-foot long metallic cylinder. He said the metal tube of the device is “light enough to be carried by 2 divers, small enough to get through narrow gaps” in the cave system. The device could be used to rescue one boy at a time as it has space to fit in one person with his arms crossed, he said.

The oxygen ports and nose cone fitted to the device would prevent damages when it comes in contact with rocks, he said. Musk said his submarine has eight handles, four in the front and four in the rear, and four air tank connections.

He tweeted Sunday evening the group was en route to Thailand with the device and would reach the destination in about 17 hours. "Testing for 3 more hours in LA, then it’s on a plane to Thailand," Musk tweeted.

However, after news of the rescue of four boys emerged, Musk tweeted, "Hopefully useful. If not, perhaps it will be in a future situation."

Rescue operations were stopped Sunday evening post the rescue of four boys to replace air tanks and supplies, and it resumed Monday morning. The team was initially planning to leave the boys in the cave until the water recedes but decided against it for fear of further flooding as more monsoon rains are expected in the coming days. Dropping oxygen level in the cave is further making the situation grim.