Thai Cave Rescue (2022) s01e05 Episode Script
The Parable of Kisa Gotami
1
[solemn classical music playing]
[Buddhist monks chanting]
[man 1] Hurry! Hurry!
- [man 2] Let's go!
- [man 1] Yes, sir!
- [man 2] Move it!
- [man 3] Yes, sir!
[somber music playing]
[clock ticks]
[somber music continues]
[solemn silence]
[parents chattering frantically]
[thunder rumbling]
[Appakorn] It is with deep sadness
that after the events of yesterday,
I must report, just after midnight,
a retired soldier
and former Thai Navy SEAL,
Petty Officer First Class Saman Gunan,
passed away during the rescue mission
to save the boys from the cave.
He was positioning
oxygen tanks inside of the cave.
But did not have enough of his own
to complete the journey and leave safely.
[poignant music playing]
[Appakorn] "Ja Sam,"
as he was known by his family and friends,
volunteered to help here at Tham Luang,
as so many brave souls such as his have.
He was a hero to all of us here
until his dying breath.
There have been
many questions asked this morning
about what his death means
for the future of this operation
and the boys.
I can assure you, we will not stop.
We are not going to give up.
We will keep going.
We will continue the mission.
We will not let his sacrifice go to waste.
His sacrifice gives us courage.
[reporters clamoring excitedly]
Are you still thinking of having
the kids dive on their own?
[all reporters chattering loudly]
How about safety?
[muted clamoring continues]
[high-pitched tone ringing]
Safety for the Wild Boars and the rescuers
has always been a priority.
Which is why we are discussing everything
with the interior minister,
who is due to arrive shortly.
- Next question.
- [reporters clamor]
[theme music playing]
[woman] When I saw
that soldier being carried out,
it broke my heart.
[Tai sobbing]
What his family must feel.
[voice quavering] How he died.
It must be terrible.
Here. Drink this. You'll feel better.
I thought it would be over
since he has died.
- [women crying]
- But they're still going to help our boys.
[crying continues]
[Nick] Do you think your mom is mad, Tle?
Oh yeah. That's an understatement.
I'll never be allowed
to leave the house ever again.
[dramatic music playing]
[Thai SEALs shouting]
Could you excuse us? We need the room.
[soldiers assenting politely]
What is this?
We're helping you get through this
without any further disasters, all right?
There is a lot more at stake here, Nong.
[minister] Governor. Please, have a seat.
- Hello.
- Hello.
Any news?
The British dive experts
are checking the route
for any new obstructions
that may have caused last night's tragedy.
Apparently, it is not uncommon
for rocks and sand to shift
once a cave begins to flood.
Is that how he died?
We may never know
with certainty what happened in there.
But conditions are more treacherous
than any of us anticipated.
- And they're only going to get worse.
- [minister] Agreed.
Once the British
have given us the all-clear to go back in,
we're going to continue the mission.
You can't seriously think
you should continue this mission?
[tutting] As the sun rose,
the entire nation
mourned the loss of a warrior.
One of the best of us.
He succumbed to this monster
and died sacrificing himself.
How can we send
starved and exhausted children into this
and expect anything other
than the same fate for them, hmm?
I share your concerns.
- Minister.
- [minister] Yes.
The governor has been
keeping me up-to-date
on everything that's been going on here.
In light of this recent tragic death,
we should consider an alternative.
A way that simply
keeps the boys alive for the time being.
We can keep them alive.
That should be what matters most
right now in this situation.
You mean inside the cave, right?
[Kiattisak] Yes.
[minister] Won't they run out
of oxygen if they stay in there?
That's why we'll pump in oxygen
from outside the cave.
It's an alternative they once considered
but dismissed early on.
Unfortunately, it seems
I think too hastily sometimes,
but right now, we must consider this
as a viable option for those kids.
Is this possible?
The foreign cave-diving experts
have already laid out
the guideline for us,
in less than a week's time.
It is the same principle
but with an air hose.
And how can we guarantee their safety
for that long inside of the cave?
We know that some of those chambers
flood completely in the monsoon season.
[Kiattisak] But how can you
guarantee their safety
diving out of there
given all that has happened?
You can't possibly expect those boys
to survive diving out of the cave?
I've already asked
Admiral Appakorn and the Americans
to work on new safety protocols.
Sir, no one wants a repeat of today.
But we can't just abandon a plan
that has some chance of success.
- There are too many variables.
- How can you
[gasps] That's enough! Listen to me.
[minister sighs]
We've been reminded today
of exactly what is at stake here.
Prove yourselves.
Now is the time to do so.
So, find out what exactly it'll take
to ensure the boys
remain alive in the cave.
No detail is too small for this.
And you, discuss your new
safety protocols with your divers.
You have the higher bar to clear
given Ja Sam's death.
I want the both of you,
no matter what it takes,
to exhaust every possible outcome.
So, when this is over,
no one will be able to say
we didn't try everything we possibly could
to bring those boys to safety.
I will except no more mistakes.
[Narongsak sighs]
Two days ago,
you wanted them out immediately.
Why the dramatic shift?
What are you after?
Don't be so cynical, Nong.
I just don't want anyone else dying.
Neither do I.
[Kiattisak grumbles]
[footsteps receding]
[Eak] Something has changed.
Tell us what happened.
[Bhak] A SEAL has died,
but I didn't know him
that well personally.
[Baitoey] We were in the same unit
before he retired.
He was an exceptional SEAL.
But he was an even better man.
[solemn music playing]
He would still be alive right now
if I didn't bring the team here.
Is he going to be all right?
Eventually.
When they're all safely out of the cave.
And when he figures out
how to forgive himself.
[Baitoey] Bhak.
I think you should tell him.
The oxygen meter dropped
below 15% this morning.
We are in the danger zone now.
Sam's death has changed the calculations
the higher-ups are making out there, but
we're gonna get you out of here
as soon as we can.
Keep Eak's spirits up.
[muted laughter]
[thunder rumbles]
[Narongsak] The interior minister
is considering keeping the boys
in the cave
until the monsoon ends and waters recede.
[Rick] Four months?
You might as well be telling
those boys we've given up on them!
That's what it's going to feel like
if they're told to wait this thing out
until autumn with an oxygen tube in there.
What's their plan
if the oxygen tube gets a hole in it?
Or one of the kids gets pneumonia?
How's Dr. Bhak supposed to treat that
in a damp, dark cave?
All we can do is focus
on what's being asked of us,
which boils down to one question.
Are we doing everything we can
to guarantee the boys' safety
on the dive out?
We have learned a brutal lesson.
My men are highly skilled divers
out in open water,
but here, we're learning as we go.
So, for the safety of everyone involved,
the rescue itself should be handled
by expert cave divers.
My men will provide all necessary support.
But, sir
This is an unprecedented mission.
We have to adjust our plans
according to the changing circumstances.
- [Narongsak] Are you up for this?
- [murmurs of assent]
Okay, then. What do we do next?
So, the biggest threat,
aside from the cave itself, is panic.
Panic is a powerful human reflex.
It's impossible to combat.
We're asking these kids
to dive through tight spaces
filled with sharp objects
in pitch-black, cold water.
[John] For several hours at a time.
It's not a matter of if,
but how long before they panic.
When they do, they will thrash around.
They will endanger the lives
of divers and themselves.
What do you suggest we do
to prevent that from happening?
Oh [sighs]
If we're going to buddy-swim them out,
we need to restrict their movements.
[sighs] When a lifeguard is trying
to save someone from drowning,
they'll swim them out on their back,
immobilizing them
their arms at the shoulder,
but that's not feasible
in spaces this tight or for this long.
Restrict their movement,
you wanna zip-tie their hands?
Behind their backs, ideally.
- Feet too.
- [Chet] Are you insane?
You wanna handcuff children underwater?
The only way we can safely
take them out of the cave
is to treat them like the packages
of MREs or the air tanks going in.
They must be fully immobilized.
Even zip-tied, they'll likely
still thrash, panic, stirring up silt.
What if they knock you off the guide rope?
Go ahead. Your idea.
[somber music playing]
What if we anesthetized them?
[solemn silence]
Is this really the plan
from the head of operations?
That's insane!
Get the kids drugged underwater.
Would they do this to their own children?
Chet!
You're out of line.
[softly] Hey, man. Let's go for a walk.
[Rick] No one wants to do it,
but short of a better idea,
I can't see how else we can prevent them
from panicking for long enough
to save their lives.
Say we did go down this path,
how would you do it?
Which one of you is the doctor?
- [Rick scoffs under breath]
- None of us are doctors.
James and some of the other
pararescue jumpers
have experience in combat medicine.
But not with children underwater
in a high-altitude cave.
I don't even know if it's realistic,
but I know someone who will.
Richard Harris.
Dr. Harry.
He's an Australian cave diver,
but he's also an anesthetist.
Only one in the world, as far as we know.
[man] You actually got them
to agree to this insane scheme?
[John over phone] Not exactly.
They're open to it,
but they'll need some convincing.
Yes, well
Reckon I'll need some convincing as well.
Well, aren't you Wet Mules
always whinging in your blog
about wanting to find
unique solutions for unique problems?
This is about as unique as it comes.
This is a bloody unicorn.
Better not let Craig
hear you call it a "blog."
He didn't!
[Craig chuckles]
I dunno. What you're asking's never been
done before, and for good reason.
Even if I could work out the logistics,
there's medical ethics.
And also,
I can't do this without a partner I trust.
I don't move without Craig.
Dr. Harris.
That's my father's name.
Harry, I'm not sure
we can get approval fast enough.
Your embassy said
you were pre-vetted through AUSMAT,
so it was an easy ask of Canberra,
but Craig will be a tougher sell.
Major, with respect,
I don't move without Craig.
Okay, let me see what I can do.
[thunder rumbling]
[Kelly] Thankfully, there's more good news
than bad news.
[Kiattisak] How do you mean?
Because we've tried so many ways
to clear water out of the cave,
we've got at least 30 different types
of pipes and hoses out there right now.
[officer whispering]
[Kiattisak] You can make this work?
Since some are of different sizes,
we'll have to jury-rig them together.
Can your team start immediately?
There are still
some calculations to be done.
I've posted some of the problem sets
on Facebook and Reddit.
On Facebook?
[Pim] Sir, engineers
from around the world are watching.
Crowdsourcing some of the best minds
out there can really speed up the process.
Using good calculations,
some of the materials can be ruled out.
While that's being done,
I'm gonna start with the practical tests.
The maps don't do justice
to the trickiest bits.
Some things we won't know
until we get in there and measure it.
[whispering]
Minister, sir, we are currently
working with a team of Americans
to determine how many
additional MREs we'll need
to keep the boys fed
for the next few months,
as well as how long it will take
to get supplies into the cave
Hi, excuse the interruption.
I'm looking for a forest ranger named Pim.
[Kiattisak] And who are you exactly?
I'm Noon from the TMD in Bangkok.
Noon, hi.
[Noon] I couldn't take it anymore.
Today the satellite went down again.
The same one that went down
when this all started.
So I came here. I had to do something.
Especially for Ja Sam.
Wait. What are you doing here?
I'm gonna set up a mobile weather station
at the top of Pha Mee mountain.
That boss of mine
didn't want me to come here.
He said the satellite would be up again.
But after what happened last time,
I was able to convince him
that if anyone found out
we could've helped and didn't try,
it would be
a career-ending kind of scandal.
I think that part is what got to him.
Pim, I was hoping
you could help me out with this.
I'm in the middle of strategizing.
All of the strategizing in the world
isn't going to help
if the weather changes on us.
It's too late to leave now.
I think we should talk to the governor.
He'll wanna meet you.
Excuse me.
That's government property.
Thai government.
Thai Meteorological Department
by the looks of it.
Seems like your boss
has a friend at the US Embassy.
He called, worried that some intern of his
might injure herself in the jungle.
My commander asked me to look after you.
Okay.
It's nice to meet you in person.
You're younger than I thought.
[Night snoring]
[Tle and Nick giggling]
[Night coughing]
- [Tle] Hey!
- [Nick] You okay?
[Night continues coughing]
- [Nick] I'm sorry.
- [Tle laughing]
- [Night coughing]
- [Eak] Tle! Nick! What are you doing?
Nothing happened.
We were just messing around.
[Night coughs]
[Eak] Do you understand
Night could have choked?
[Night coughing]
I'm all right, Coach.
That was extremely dangerous.
[shouting] I mean, how is it
you don't understand that?
So, whether you meant it or not,
you have to be careful!
Terrible things can still happen!
No more messing around!
I've had enough!
[yells] Go to sleep now!
[Tle] Sorry, Coach.
Now!
[Buddhist monks chanting quietly]
[solemn silence]
Dr. Harris, I'm your escort,
Toe, from the embassy.
[Harry] What's going on here?
[Toe] They're taking the Navy SEAL
back to Sattahip to be buried by his wife.
He was the first fatality of the cave.
[thunder rumbling]
- [SEAL 1] Okay, follow him.
- [SEAL 2] Yes, sir.
[SEAL 1] Watch your step.
[James talking indistinctly]
Everyone!
Anesthetist extraordinaire Dr. Harry
and his dive buddy, Craig.
Veterinarian extraordinaire.
[Narongsak] We are grateful
that you're here.
You'll forgive us
if we do not waste time. Please.
Each of these colors
represents a chamber inside the cave.
Between them are the submerged sumps.
The boys are here in chamber 9.
With four SEALs,
one of them's a doctor who says
they're in relatively good health.
The way we've worked it out
is each of the Wild Boars
will be assigned two divers
to swim him out of each submerged sump.
- [Craig] You don't wanna use two divers.
- Why not?
A couple of years ago,
a friend of ours, uh,
a young diver called Agnes,
went missing during a dive,
and Harry and I handled the recovery.
We almost found out firsthand
why two divers is a bad idea.
If you think about it,
if the lead diver gets jammed up,
there's no way of communicating
with the guy behind him
that he's in trouble.
If you get stuck in a tight spot,
the diver behind you
is pressing forward with a body,
no one knows what the hell's going on
Someone is going
to get hurt or worse, right?
[James] Okay.
So, to help the solo diver,
we'll position the other divers
throughout the cave with SKEDs
to pull the boys out of the water
and carry them
through the chambers between sumps.
We've been trying to find a way
to secure the regulator in the mouth.
[Charles] We suggested
looking into full face masks.
We were able to find
a few of these down south.
So far, all I've heard is the ways
you're setting my friend up here
to send 12 boys to a watery grave.
May I?
The only way this works
is with positive-pressure masks.
We looked into those.
They don't make 'em small enough.
[Craig] There's gotta be one
for a small adult
or a teenager
somewhere out there that'd work.
What's the difference
with a positive-pressure mask?
[Craig] Diving requires
the active participation of the diver,
so you've gotta keep the regulator
in your mouth in order to breathe
If these boys are unconscious,
they won't be breathing regularly.
They sure as hell won't be able
to keep a regulator in their mouth
or notice water coming in.
And neither will the diver
that's pulling them through. So
They'll drown.
But a positive-pressure mask,
we've worked with them in the States,
the air is flowing,
pressurized air coming in no matter what.
Only way these boys
have a fighting chance.
And if we can't find the masks?
Well, then Craig's right.
I can't anesthetize them.
They will drown.
But if we can find a mask small enough,
and we're able to ballast the boys
level and face down in the water
Wait, why face down?
So they don't obstruct their airways,
don't choke on their own tongue,
drown in their own saliva.
There is a chance
if we can get the masks.
Okay. We got our marching orders.
[James] So Chet is working with Kelly
and Jirasak to try and pipe in oxygen?
[Aran] Yeah.
Yeah, well he's taking Sam's death hard.
Yeah. You know, Chet and Ja Sam,
they'd known each other a long time.
He wants a chance to make it right.
Okay. Please, start it up!
[engine starts]
The compressor pushes the air
down the hose, up through this tank here.
[air hissing]
[Kelly] The tank will be filled with water
to catch any leaks.
The engineer, he's got the air-out end.
[Chet] This seems like a thorough plan.
If it's working, how will we know that?
[Chet] Yes, how will we know if it leaks?
The water will fill up
with air bubbles at the junction.
[Chet] That's true, if there's a leak,
air bubbles come out here.
[compressor whirring]
[Harry] Look, you have to
trust me on this.
They'll be fully conscious underwater,
in the pitch black for hours
without control over their bodies.
Would you like to experience
that type of torture?
He says using muscle relaxants can be
torture and too dangerous for the boys.
[doctor] Maybe we should
revisit Midazolam.
Or maybe Lorazepam.
[Harry] Yes [sighs]
As I explained before,
I'm really not comfortable
with either of those.
They're too, um, unpredictable.
We really should
lean into Dr. Harris's plan.
Ketamine is the way to go.
It's reliable, and it won't lower
core body temperature,
and in turn, means that it won't
lower blood pressure on the dive.
Ketamine truly does seem
like the least harmful option,
and it won't mess with their vitals.
[doctor 2] But it doesn't last very long.
If they wake up during the dive,
what would you do with them?
That's a good point.
What would you do
if they wake up during the dive?
Uh, the diver taking them out
will have to jab them again.
[Narongsak] Leave them in
or take them out.
We should ask their parents
what they think.
[Kiattisak] We're the leaders.
Now we have to decide
what to do with them.
Those people there,
there are no divers among them.
No engineers with them.
Plus, they're emotional
and mentally drained.
Ask yourself, if your daughter
was in a cave,
could you handle
the situation objectively?
I don't know.
But tell me,
wouldn't you want a say in all of this?
[thunder rumbles]
- [man 1] How long have you been in for?
- [man 2] The Air Force? Ten years.
- Ever seen anything like this?
- Nope.
[Harry] Tell me we found some masks.
The Yanks managed to pull four custom,
extra-small positive-pressure masks
out of their arses.
They sent a transport all the way
to God knows where to pick them up.
They sent a whole plane for four masks?
Hey, mate, it's not my hard-earned
Australian tax dollars at work.
Oh, and the SEALs, uh,
got the SKEDs together too.
They're setting up
a dry run at a pool nearby.
So a wet run, then?
No, that's not what that means.
A wet run
Are you gonna tell me
what happened in there or not?
Look, they're rightly nervous
about all of this.
But they wanna dictate
every aspect of the process.
The medicine, the dosage, all of it.
You're the guy that's gonna be
inside the cave doling it out.
Not much they can do
to stop you doing it your way
Craig.
What happens when one of those boys dies?
Because we both know that's gonna happen.
How do I explain myself?
I'm a murderer on foreign soil.
You're an accessory.
We both end up
in a Bangkok prison. It's true.
No, no. That's when I get
Toe here to smuggle me out.
I've been told not to listen
to anything you say.
[Craig] And that is good advice.
You're a quick study.
So are we just gonna walk away?
I need to see these boys for myself.
[James] This what you want too?
[Craig] It's not about what I want.
I move with Harry.
[Harry] If they are
going to be my patients,
I surely have the right
to examine them myself.
I don't know. You'd be better off
running practice drills in a pool with us.
This whole exercise might be moot
if I get in there
and decide they're not up to it.
[Rick] Have you thought about
what it's going to be like
to swim away from these boys
knowing you could be
leaving them there to die?
[Phong's grandma]
Those are our only options?
If they were your children,
would you risk their lives
during the rescue
or risk their lives inside the cave?
Both options are risky, yes.
Of course they are. But what would you do?
I'd rescue them.
[Namhom] Why is that?
For a dangerous situation like this,
it's about choosing between a quick death
and a slow one.
But this is not my decision.
Thank you, Governor.
I appreciate your honesty.
I feel the same way.
[Narongsak] If you're willing
to give your consent,
I need you to sign a release form,
so that we can proceed.
We need the boy's name,
the guardian's name,
and your signature here.
One per family.
[people sobbing, mumbling]
[women sobbing]
I will not!
You think you know
what it feels like to have a dead child!
But I promise you, you have no idea!
And I will not sign!
I'm telling you now,
no person is going to make me
give up on my Tle!
[footsteps retreating]
- [man sobs]
- [thunder rumbles]
[Biw's dad] Sak!
You look lost!
- [Sak] I'm giving my wife some space.
- [Biw's dad] Come, take a seat.
We can take a break
from our wives together.
[Thai song playing softly on radio]
[Thai song finishes]
["Splash Out" by 3.2.1
featuring Baitoey Rsiam starts]
[chuckles softly]
- It's It's Biw's favorite song.
- [Sak] Mm, Tle too.
I always turn the volume up
whenever it comes on
just to tease him a little.
I was out the night before.
The night before they went into the cave.
But I stopped by the soccer field.
I wasn't sure if Biw wanted me
to see him there practicing.
Kids get easily embarrassed at there age.
When all this is over
Then And when Biw comes home to me
I promise to be a better father.
[thunder rumbles]
["Splash Out" continues playing softly]
Before Tle
we had a younger daughter.
Then, one day, she got really sick.
It was terminal.
I never knew about your daughter.
My condolences.
At the time
we didn't think we could recover.
Then we had Tle.
Our hearts were flooded with love again.
[poignant music playing]
We swore an oath.
We would keep him safe anyway we could.
But we have no control over this.
Trust me, we're all trying.
I believe that. I believe that.
My wife, though
[sighs]
[Biw] Hey, you're cheating!
What a noop. Two against one
and you still lost everything.
- [Night] One more game?
- [Adul] Sure.
- [Biw] Let's try again. Catch it.
- [Mark coughing]
[Nick] Coach Eak,
we're really sorry.
We all forgot how dangerous it is in here.
Because you've protected us from danger.
So we let our guard down for a time.
I'm sorry I yelled at you.
I wasn't mad at you.
I'm not mad at any of you.
[poignant music playing]
I'm mad at myself.
I'm really sorry.
[voice quavers]
I'm sorry for bringing you here
and putting you through all of this.
You don't deserve any of this. [sniffs]
You're just kids.
You know, you should be playing pranks,
having fun, enjoying life,
and not worrying about being here.
None of this is your fault, Eak.
You didn't force anybody to be here.
We wanted to be here. All of us.
Although, I didn't want to
[Eak chuckles softly]
you never forced me
to come with you, Eak.
I may not have forced you to be here
but I led the way,
and then you followed me.
I am the coach.
I am supposed to protect you.
If anything happened to any of you
[Tle] You don't have to
protect us anymore.
Because you taught us how to stay alive.
- [James] What's your name, kid?
- Can you tell my friend here your name?
Uh, Boon-Nam.
[Aran] 'Boon-Nam' means good fortune.
He's a Wild Boar who was supposed to
go into the cave with them,
but his mom called him home early.
All right, this is gonna be really weird,
but I'm gonna need you
to put your hands together like this.
- [Aran] Cross your arms behind your back.
- Well will this help my friends?
[James] Yes, sir.
[suspenseful music playing]
[men giving instructions in Thai]
[suspenseful music continues]
[Rick] We need
some sort of buoyancy for the legs.
It'd need to be something already
in the cave. We can't take more things in.
[Rick] Yeah.
How about this?
[Boon-nam breathing erratically]
[Boon-nam yelling]
- Is it over?
- Hey. It's okay, kid. You did really well.
- [Boon-nam] Where's my mom?
- [James] You're okay.
Where did she go?
I can't do it again. [crying]
[Harry] Okay, big breath in.
You gotta inhale, Mark.
- [Mark inhales deeply]
- [Harry] And out.
And now breathe out.
[Mark coughing]
Okay. Once more.
[Adul] One more time.
[Mark inhales deeply]
[deep cough]
Okay. Okay. Thank you, young man.
You take it easy, okay? Thank you, Adul.
[Mark coughing]
Look, he's not great.
He'll need treatment on the outside.
But generally, I can't believe
how healthy you've kept them all in here.
I can't take much credit. They're tough.
Hey, Adul. Maybe he has
a pet kangaroo or something.
Do you have a pet kangaroo?
[giggling] A kangaroo?
All Australians do.
They all have kangaroos!
- Everyone, really?
- [Adul] Do you really?
[everyone laughing]
When do you plan to take them out?
They're still deciding that, I'm afraid.
[Bhak] I know they're doing their best,
but the sooner
they make a decision, the better.
These kids are resilient,
more than most adults I know,
but the stress of not knowing
will wear anyone down eventually.
[boys laughing happily]
When I get out of here,
I will ask for a kangaroo.
[boys laughing, discussing kangaroos]
[spiritual music playing]
[voice quavering] I pray for the courage
to endure this life's trial.
But there's none to be found. [sobbing]
Mothers should never
outlive their babies. [sobbing]
This
This pain is excruciating.
I need help
to stay strong for my baby boy.
But I find nothing.
[sobbing]
[monk, softly] Do you know
the parable of Kisa Gotami?
[thunder rumbles ominously]
[Pim] How bad will it be, Noon?
[Noon] Stop asking me that!
I'm trying to figure it out!
It will be bad!
It's almost 40 millimeters
and still rising.
[cell phone buttons beeping]
[Noon] We've got to call it in!
- [buttons beeping]
- [Noon] Damn it! It's not working.
[Pim] Are you kidding me?
How can we have
such bad luck with satellites?
[thunder rumbling]
- [keys jingling]
- Go.
[cell phone buttons beeping]
[tense music playing]
[Kiattisak] I understand clearly, right?
The hose isn't leaking,
and the air is flowing
all the way through the system.
Your test really worked. You did it.
Yes, but this is a dry run.
It works every time we try it out here.
But both times that we've tried it
in chamber 1, it springs a leak.
The strength of the current
and wear and tear of the rope.
This is only a test, sir.
The system works out here on dry land,
but it always leaks inside the cave.
It's because of the extra water pressure.
Well, can you fix it or can't you?
Yes, sir. But we need more time.
More tests need to be conducted.
We need to be sure
that when more flood and rain comes,
and it will, that our system
can withstand the pressure.
Preparedness is key
for when the next severe storm comes.
What do you think, Chet?
You, and you alone, are the only one
who has dived in that cave.
Do you agree with the two of them?
Do you agree we need more time?
Or we have to run even more tests?
Yes, sir. We need more time.
But we will not fail.
Okay.
[Narongsak] There's nothing I can do
unless you all sign the document.
They will never leave
some of the boys in and bring some out.
It's too risky.
You either all take part
or we're already beaten.
You asked us to come,
to sign away our sons' lives.
[somber silence]
Hey, where've you been?
I was worried about you.
Praying at the temple.
I was asked about Kisa Gotami.
[Sak] Kisa?
The parable.
The monk couldn't believe
I hadn't heard of it.
[poignant music playing]
When her child died
she was heartbroken.
People say she lost her mind with grief.
And so she goes to the Buddha,
who tells her that
if she collects mustard seeds
in the village from just one family
who has not experienced death,
then he will bring
her child back from the dead.
You know, she goes to every single house,
one by one,
but everyone has lost someone they loved.
Whether it's a son,
a father,
an uncle,
an aunt,
or
a daughter.
[Phong's grandma] And she realized that
there is no house untouched by death.
And so Buddha welcomed her return
to hear how she had done.
Aware now, she was wiser and humble.
She told others about her child.
Soothing her pain by sharing with us all.
I've already buried a daughter.
[inhales shakily]
If there's a chance that signing this
will save other children,
I will do it.
I'm willing to sign it.
I know that I'm not alone.
[inhales shakily]
[haunting music playing]
May I, sir?
[haunting music continues]
[parents mumbling sadly]
[Craig] They're gonna ask us
as soon as we get in that tent.
[Harry] Course they are.
I know you wanna help.
It's your nature. You're a bloody saint.
[Harry scoffs] Piss off, would you?
We both know that's why I'm here.
To play devil on your shoulder.
If you go through with this
and even one boy dies
or a diver
Agnes was bad enough,
we lost a friend, but
she was an adult,
not some kid you drugged.
If you can't live with that
for the rest of your life, don't say yes.
No one's gonna judge you for that.
[Narongsak] I have
all the guardians' approval.
Do you have everything you need, then?
- Only one thing outstanding.
- [John] And it's not insubstantial.
Whether or not
Dr. Harris will go through with it.
What do you think?
Well, if he doesn't, then the boys
have no chance of being rescued.
The way Boon-Nam
was thrashing in the pool,
they'll panic at some point
and kill their diver and themselves.
[John] He's right.
[Noon] Governor!
There's a storm coming.
One of the largest yet.
Nothing can hold it back.
It's a tremendous amount of water.
[typing] We should be in the middle
of the storm, by this time tomorrow.
Forty-eight hours from now,
the pumps will most likely fail.
A new storm is coming,
and the pumps won't hold.
[people murmuring]
If the pumps go, that's it for diving,
with or without Harry.
What are the other options?
We're out of options.
[somber silence]
If I am to do this,
I need to be in charge
of my own patients' care.
- Everyone needs to sign off on that.
- Okay. We will.
Okay.
I'm all in.
- [all] Yes!
- [Rick] Okay!
Took you long enough.
[Kiattisak] My team
has made significant progress.
[minister] What's this?
I appreciate the valiant efforts
of your team,
but after speaking with Kiattisak,
I'm inclined to agree
that a slow, steady, and safe approach
is the way to go here.
We are out of time.
That is no longer possible.
There's no time to run the oxygen hose
all the way through the cave.
Why? What's changed? Tell us.
Please, minister, we have to launch
the operation right away.
Or we will never reach the kids.
Noon.
She has her boss on.
Listen before we resume.
The same type of storm
that trapped them is coming back.
It's going to be stronger than before.
It's coming off the Indian Ocean
and picking up strength.
It won't just lock the boys
and the SEALs inside the cave,
it may drown them altogether.
It will take months
for the water to recede.
We'll have no idea
what happened inside until then.
Listen. How can you be sure
this storm will be so severe?
Hello, minister.
We had the foresight
to install a weather station
in the mountains at Doi Pha Mee.
I can confirm.
Minister, we all wanted the safest route.
In fact, I always hoped
your plan would win out in the end.
I don't want to see those boys suffer
the way Petty Officer Sam did.
That kind of grief,
probably would destroy me.
But the circumstances have shifted again.
We are working
at the whim of forces greater than us.
We can either bend
or break.
[minister sighs]
What is your idea?
[Narongsak] Master Sergeant, please.
We have a series of complex problems
we've broken down into manageable
and surmountable chunks.
[poignant Thai music playing]
What kind of drugs will you use?
[Harry] Uh, Ketamine for sedation.
I'll administer that myself.
And once the diver and boy have gone
through the first sump into chamber 8,
my colleague Craig will be waiting
to assess the boy and his breathing.
All things going well,
we will proceed with the next boy.
What do you estimate
is the chance of success?
Uh
Minister.
It's impossible to guarantee 100% success.
We have to let go of our grief,
our desperation for complete success.
We are all grieving.
We are all haunted by Ja Sam's death.
But we have to take a risk again.
Seventy-five percent.
Fifty percent.
Thirty percent.
We will lose two-thirds,
and most likely it's going to be
the smallest kids that won't make it.
[poignant Thai music continues]
If we do nothing,
the chance of death is
[Kiattisak] close to 100%.
I'll be the first to bend.
At the very least,
these families
deserve to bury their sons.
We should not let them drown in the cave.
Either way, I don't like it,
but this is the plan.
[exhales deeply]
Minister.
Six days ago,
I asked the team here
to believe in these boys.
To see this through.
Even though for ten days
the boys had no food or water.
At that moment,
a lot of people around here
believed that those boys
could not have survived.
But they still live.
[music brightens]
They will survive this also.
Their parents and guardians
have signed the release for the dive
despite knowing the risks involved.
Those brave kids have trusted all of us.
[voice quavers] We must have trust
in ourselves so they can survive this.
[poignant music continues]
[minister inhales and exhales deeply]
You, you, you, you, and you,
please join me.
[phone rings]
Hello, sir. I have something
you need to hear.
Yes.
Repeat what you just said.
All of it.
[dissonant music playing]
[button clicks]
This is Master Sergeant James Nichols
of United States Air Force.
I have my commanding officer,
Major Charles Hensen,
Governor Narongsak, Admiral Appakorn,
and Dr. Richard Harris here with me.
Here is the mission brief.
We have a series of complex problems
we've broken down into manageable
and surmountable chunks.
- [Craig] He's gonna send us home
- [door opens]
so maybe that was it.
It's a green light.
[tense music playing]
Our mission to rescue the Wild Boars
begins now.
[dramatic drums play]
[dramatic music playing]
[solemn classical music playing]
[Buddhist monks chanting]
[man 1] Hurry! Hurry!
- [man 2] Let's go!
- [man 1] Yes, sir!
- [man 2] Move it!
- [man 3] Yes, sir!
[somber music playing]
[clock ticks]
[somber music continues]
[solemn silence]
[parents chattering frantically]
[thunder rumbling]
[Appakorn] It is with deep sadness
that after the events of yesterday,
I must report, just after midnight,
a retired soldier
and former Thai Navy SEAL,
Petty Officer First Class Saman Gunan,
passed away during the rescue mission
to save the boys from the cave.
He was positioning
oxygen tanks inside of the cave.
But did not have enough of his own
to complete the journey and leave safely.
[poignant music playing]
[Appakorn] "Ja Sam,"
as he was known by his family and friends,
volunteered to help here at Tham Luang,
as so many brave souls such as his have.
He was a hero to all of us here
until his dying breath.
There have been
many questions asked this morning
about what his death means
for the future of this operation
and the boys.
I can assure you, we will not stop.
We are not going to give up.
We will keep going.
We will continue the mission.
We will not let his sacrifice go to waste.
His sacrifice gives us courage.
[reporters clamoring excitedly]
Are you still thinking of having
the kids dive on their own?
[all reporters chattering loudly]
How about safety?
[muted clamoring continues]
[high-pitched tone ringing]
Safety for the Wild Boars and the rescuers
has always been a priority.
Which is why we are discussing everything
with the interior minister,
who is due to arrive shortly.
- Next question.
- [reporters clamor]
[theme music playing]
[woman] When I saw
that soldier being carried out,
it broke my heart.
[Tai sobbing]
What his family must feel.
[voice quavering] How he died.
It must be terrible.
Here. Drink this. You'll feel better.
I thought it would be over
since he has died.
- [women crying]
- But they're still going to help our boys.
[crying continues]
[Nick] Do you think your mom is mad, Tle?
Oh yeah. That's an understatement.
I'll never be allowed
to leave the house ever again.
[dramatic music playing]
[Thai SEALs shouting]
Could you excuse us? We need the room.
[soldiers assenting politely]
What is this?
We're helping you get through this
without any further disasters, all right?
There is a lot more at stake here, Nong.
[minister] Governor. Please, have a seat.
- Hello.
- Hello.
Any news?
The British dive experts
are checking the route
for any new obstructions
that may have caused last night's tragedy.
Apparently, it is not uncommon
for rocks and sand to shift
once a cave begins to flood.
Is that how he died?
We may never know
with certainty what happened in there.
But conditions are more treacherous
than any of us anticipated.
- And they're only going to get worse.
- [minister] Agreed.
Once the British
have given us the all-clear to go back in,
we're going to continue the mission.
You can't seriously think
you should continue this mission?
[tutting] As the sun rose,
the entire nation
mourned the loss of a warrior.
One of the best of us.
He succumbed to this monster
and died sacrificing himself.
How can we send
starved and exhausted children into this
and expect anything other
than the same fate for them, hmm?
I share your concerns.
- Minister.
- [minister] Yes.
The governor has been
keeping me up-to-date
on everything that's been going on here.
In light of this recent tragic death,
we should consider an alternative.
A way that simply
keeps the boys alive for the time being.
We can keep them alive.
That should be what matters most
right now in this situation.
You mean inside the cave, right?
[Kiattisak] Yes.
[minister] Won't they run out
of oxygen if they stay in there?
That's why we'll pump in oxygen
from outside the cave.
It's an alternative they once considered
but dismissed early on.
Unfortunately, it seems
I think too hastily sometimes,
but right now, we must consider this
as a viable option for those kids.
Is this possible?
The foreign cave-diving experts
have already laid out
the guideline for us,
in less than a week's time.
It is the same principle
but with an air hose.
And how can we guarantee their safety
for that long inside of the cave?
We know that some of those chambers
flood completely in the monsoon season.
[Kiattisak] But how can you
guarantee their safety
diving out of there
given all that has happened?
You can't possibly expect those boys
to survive diving out of the cave?
I've already asked
Admiral Appakorn and the Americans
to work on new safety protocols.
Sir, no one wants a repeat of today.
But we can't just abandon a plan
that has some chance of success.
- There are too many variables.
- How can you
[gasps] That's enough! Listen to me.
[minister sighs]
We've been reminded today
of exactly what is at stake here.
Prove yourselves.
Now is the time to do so.
So, find out what exactly it'll take
to ensure the boys
remain alive in the cave.
No detail is too small for this.
And you, discuss your new
safety protocols with your divers.
You have the higher bar to clear
given Ja Sam's death.
I want the both of you,
no matter what it takes,
to exhaust every possible outcome.
So, when this is over,
no one will be able to say
we didn't try everything we possibly could
to bring those boys to safety.
I will except no more mistakes.
[Narongsak sighs]
Two days ago,
you wanted them out immediately.
Why the dramatic shift?
What are you after?
Don't be so cynical, Nong.
I just don't want anyone else dying.
Neither do I.
[Kiattisak grumbles]
[footsteps receding]
[Eak] Something has changed.
Tell us what happened.
[Bhak] A SEAL has died,
but I didn't know him
that well personally.
[Baitoey] We were in the same unit
before he retired.
He was an exceptional SEAL.
But he was an even better man.
[solemn music playing]
He would still be alive right now
if I didn't bring the team here.
Is he going to be all right?
Eventually.
When they're all safely out of the cave.
And when he figures out
how to forgive himself.
[Baitoey] Bhak.
I think you should tell him.
The oxygen meter dropped
below 15% this morning.
We are in the danger zone now.
Sam's death has changed the calculations
the higher-ups are making out there, but
we're gonna get you out of here
as soon as we can.
Keep Eak's spirits up.
[muted laughter]
[thunder rumbles]
[Narongsak] The interior minister
is considering keeping the boys
in the cave
until the monsoon ends and waters recede.
[Rick] Four months?
You might as well be telling
those boys we've given up on them!
That's what it's going to feel like
if they're told to wait this thing out
until autumn with an oxygen tube in there.
What's their plan
if the oxygen tube gets a hole in it?
Or one of the kids gets pneumonia?
How's Dr. Bhak supposed to treat that
in a damp, dark cave?
All we can do is focus
on what's being asked of us,
which boils down to one question.
Are we doing everything we can
to guarantee the boys' safety
on the dive out?
We have learned a brutal lesson.
My men are highly skilled divers
out in open water,
but here, we're learning as we go.
So, for the safety of everyone involved,
the rescue itself should be handled
by expert cave divers.
My men will provide all necessary support.
But, sir
This is an unprecedented mission.
We have to adjust our plans
according to the changing circumstances.
- [Narongsak] Are you up for this?
- [murmurs of assent]
Okay, then. What do we do next?
So, the biggest threat,
aside from the cave itself, is panic.
Panic is a powerful human reflex.
It's impossible to combat.
We're asking these kids
to dive through tight spaces
filled with sharp objects
in pitch-black, cold water.
[John] For several hours at a time.
It's not a matter of if,
but how long before they panic.
When they do, they will thrash around.
They will endanger the lives
of divers and themselves.
What do you suggest we do
to prevent that from happening?
Oh [sighs]
If we're going to buddy-swim them out,
we need to restrict their movements.
[sighs] When a lifeguard is trying
to save someone from drowning,
they'll swim them out on their back,
immobilizing them
their arms at the shoulder,
but that's not feasible
in spaces this tight or for this long.
Restrict their movement,
you wanna zip-tie their hands?
Behind their backs, ideally.
- Feet too.
- [Chet] Are you insane?
You wanna handcuff children underwater?
The only way we can safely
take them out of the cave
is to treat them like the packages
of MREs or the air tanks going in.
They must be fully immobilized.
Even zip-tied, they'll likely
still thrash, panic, stirring up silt.
What if they knock you off the guide rope?
Go ahead. Your idea.
[somber music playing]
What if we anesthetized them?
[solemn silence]
Is this really the plan
from the head of operations?
That's insane!
Get the kids drugged underwater.
Would they do this to their own children?
Chet!
You're out of line.
[softly] Hey, man. Let's go for a walk.
[Rick] No one wants to do it,
but short of a better idea,
I can't see how else we can prevent them
from panicking for long enough
to save their lives.
Say we did go down this path,
how would you do it?
Which one of you is the doctor?
- [Rick scoffs under breath]
- None of us are doctors.
James and some of the other
pararescue jumpers
have experience in combat medicine.
But not with children underwater
in a high-altitude cave.
I don't even know if it's realistic,
but I know someone who will.
Richard Harris.
Dr. Harry.
He's an Australian cave diver,
but he's also an anesthetist.
Only one in the world, as far as we know.
[man] You actually got them
to agree to this insane scheme?
[John over phone] Not exactly.
They're open to it,
but they'll need some convincing.
Yes, well
Reckon I'll need some convincing as well.
Well, aren't you Wet Mules
always whinging in your blog
about wanting to find
unique solutions for unique problems?
This is about as unique as it comes.
This is a bloody unicorn.
Better not let Craig
hear you call it a "blog."
He didn't!
[Craig chuckles]
I dunno. What you're asking's never been
done before, and for good reason.
Even if I could work out the logistics,
there's medical ethics.
And also,
I can't do this without a partner I trust.
I don't move without Craig.
Dr. Harris.
That's my father's name.
Harry, I'm not sure
we can get approval fast enough.
Your embassy said
you were pre-vetted through AUSMAT,
so it was an easy ask of Canberra,
but Craig will be a tougher sell.
Major, with respect,
I don't move without Craig.
Okay, let me see what I can do.
[thunder rumbling]
[Kelly] Thankfully, there's more good news
than bad news.
[Kiattisak] How do you mean?
Because we've tried so many ways
to clear water out of the cave,
we've got at least 30 different types
of pipes and hoses out there right now.
[officer whispering]
[Kiattisak] You can make this work?
Since some are of different sizes,
we'll have to jury-rig them together.
Can your team start immediately?
There are still
some calculations to be done.
I've posted some of the problem sets
on Facebook and Reddit.
On Facebook?
[Pim] Sir, engineers
from around the world are watching.
Crowdsourcing some of the best minds
out there can really speed up the process.
Using good calculations,
some of the materials can be ruled out.
While that's being done,
I'm gonna start with the practical tests.
The maps don't do justice
to the trickiest bits.
Some things we won't know
until we get in there and measure it.
[whispering]
Minister, sir, we are currently
working with a team of Americans
to determine how many
additional MREs we'll need
to keep the boys fed
for the next few months,
as well as how long it will take
to get supplies into the cave
Hi, excuse the interruption.
I'm looking for a forest ranger named Pim.
[Kiattisak] And who are you exactly?
I'm Noon from the TMD in Bangkok.
Noon, hi.
[Noon] I couldn't take it anymore.
Today the satellite went down again.
The same one that went down
when this all started.
So I came here. I had to do something.
Especially for Ja Sam.
Wait. What are you doing here?
I'm gonna set up a mobile weather station
at the top of Pha Mee mountain.
That boss of mine
didn't want me to come here.
He said the satellite would be up again.
But after what happened last time,
I was able to convince him
that if anyone found out
we could've helped and didn't try,
it would be
a career-ending kind of scandal.
I think that part is what got to him.
Pim, I was hoping
you could help me out with this.
I'm in the middle of strategizing.
All of the strategizing in the world
isn't going to help
if the weather changes on us.
It's too late to leave now.
I think we should talk to the governor.
He'll wanna meet you.
Excuse me.
That's government property.
Thai government.
Thai Meteorological Department
by the looks of it.
Seems like your boss
has a friend at the US Embassy.
He called, worried that some intern of his
might injure herself in the jungle.
My commander asked me to look after you.
Okay.
It's nice to meet you in person.
You're younger than I thought.
[Night snoring]
[Tle and Nick giggling]
[Night coughing]
- [Tle] Hey!
- [Nick] You okay?
[Night continues coughing]
- [Nick] I'm sorry.
- [Tle laughing]
- [Night coughing]
- [Eak] Tle! Nick! What are you doing?
Nothing happened.
We were just messing around.
[Night coughs]
[Eak] Do you understand
Night could have choked?
[Night coughing]
I'm all right, Coach.
That was extremely dangerous.
[shouting] I mean, how is it
you don't understand that?
So, whether you meant it or not,
you have to be careful!
Terrible things can still happen!
No more messing around!
I've had enough!
[yells] Go to sleep now!
[Tle] Sorry, Coach.
Now!
[Buddhist monks chanting quietly]
[solemn silence]
Dr. Harris, I'm your escort,
Toe, from the embassy.
[Harry] What's going on here?
[Toe] They're taking the Navy SEAL
back to Sattahip to be buried by his wife.
He was the first fatality of the cave.
[thunder rumbling]
- [SEAL 1] Okay, follow him.
- [SEAL 2] Yes, sir.
[SEAL 1] Watch your step.
[James talking indistinctly]
Everyone!
Anesthetist extraordinaire Dr. Harry
and his dive buddy, Craig.
Veterinarian extraordinaire.
[Narongsak] We are grateful
that you're here.
You'll forgive us
if we do not waste time. Please.
Each of these colors
represents a chamber inside the cave.
Between them are the submerged sumps.
The boys are here in chamber 9.
With four SEALs,
one of them's a doctor who says
they're in relatively good health.
The way we've worked it out
is each of the Wild Boars
will be assigned two divers
to swim him out of each submerged sump.
- [Craig] You don't wanna use two divers.
- Why not?
A couple of years ago,
a friend of ours, uh,
a young diver called Agnes,
went missing during a dive,
and Harry and I handled the recovery.
We almost found out firsthand
why two divers is a bad idea.
If you think about it,
if the lead diver gets jammed up,
there's no way of communicating
with the guy behind him
that he's in trouble.
If you get stuck in a tight spot,
the diver behind you
is pressing forward with a body,
no one knows what the hell's going on
Someone is going
to get hurt or worse, right?
[James] Okay.
So, to help the solo diver,
we'll position the other divers
throughout the cave with SKEDs
to pull the boys out of the water
and carry them
through the chambers between sumps.
We've been trying to find a way
to secure the regulator in the mouth.
[Charles] We suggested
looking into full face masks.
We were able to find
a few of these down south.
So far, all I've heard is the ways
you're setting my friend up here
to send 12 boys to a watery grave.
May I?
The only way this works
is with positive-pressure masks.
We looked into those.
They don't make 'em small enough.
[Craig] There's gotta be one
for a small adult
or a teenager
somewhere out there that'd work.
What's the difference
with a positive-pressure mask?
[Craig] Diving requires
the active participation of the diver,
so you've gotta keep the regulator
in your mouth in order to breathe
If these boys are unconscious,
they won't be breathing regularly.
They sure as hell won't be able
to keep a regulator in their mouth
or notice water coming in.
And neither will the diver
that's pulling them through. So
They'll drown.
But a positive-pressure mask,
we've worked with them in the States,
the air is flowing,
pressurized air coming in no matter what.
Only way these boys
have a fighting chance.
And if we can't find the masks?
Well, then Craig's right.
I can't anesthetize them.
They will drown.
But if we can find a mask small enough,
and we're able to ballast the boys
level and face down in the water
Wait, why face down?
So they don't obstruct their airways,
don't choke on their own tongue,
drown in their own saliva.
There is a chance
if we can get the masks.
Okay. We got our marching orders.
[James] So Chet is working with Kelly
and Jirasak to try and pipe in oxygen?
[Aran] Yeah.
Yeah, well he's taking Sam's death hard.
Yeah. You know, Chet and Ja Sam,
they'd known each other a long time.
He wants a chance to make it right.
Okay. Please, start it up!
[engine starts]
The compressor pushes the air
down the hose, up through this tank here.
[air hissing]
[Kelly] The tank will be filled with water
to catch any leaks.
The engineer, he's got the air-out end.
[Chet] This seems like a thorough plan.
If it's working, how will we know that?
[Chet] Yes, how will we know if it leaks?
The water will fill up
with air bubbles at the junction.
[Chet] That's true, if there's a leak,
air bubbles come out here.
[compressor whirring]
[Harry] Look, you have to
trust me on this.
They'll be fully conscious underwater,
in the pitch black for hours
without control over their bodies.
Would you like to experience
that type of torture?
He says using muscle relaxants can be
torture and too dangerous for the boys.
[doctor] Maybe we should
revisit Midazolam.
Or maybe Lorazepam.
[Harry] Yes [sighs]
As I explained before,
I'm really not comfortable
with either of those.
They're too, um, unpredictable.
We really should
lean into Dr. Harris's plan.
Ketamine is the way to go.
It's reliable, and it won't lower
core body temperature,
and in turn, means that it won't
lower blood pressure on the dive.
Ketamine truly does seem
like the least harmful option,
and it won't mess with their vitals.
[doctor 2] But it doesn't last very long.
If they wake up during the dive,
what would you do with them?
That's a good point.
What would you do
if they wake up during the dive?
Uh, the diver taking them out
will have to jab them again.
[Narongsak] Leave them in
or take them out.
We should ask their parents
what they think.
[Kiattisak] We're the leaders.
Now we have to decide
what to do with them.
Those people there,
there are no divers among them.
No engineers with them.
Plus, they're emotional
and mentally drained.
Ask yourself, if your daughter
was in a cave,
could you handle
the situation objectively?
I don't know.
But tell me,
wouldn't you want a say in all of this?
[thunder rumbles]
- [man 1] How long have you been in for?
- [man 2] The Air Force? Ten years.
- Ever seen anything like this?
- Nope.
[Harry] Tell me we found some masks.
The Yanks managed to pull four custom,
extra-small positive-pressure masks
out of their arses.
They sent a transport all the way
to God knows where to pick them up.
They sent a whole plane for four masks?
Hey, mate, it's not my hard-earned
Australian tax dollars at work.
Oh, and the SEALs, uh,
got the SKEDs together too.
They're setting up
a dry run at a pool nearby.
So a wet run, then?
No, that's not what that means.
A wet run
Are you gonna tell me
what happened in there or not?
Look, they're rightly nervous
about all of this.
But they wanna dictate
every aspect of the process.
The medicine, the dosage, all of it.
You're the guy that's gonna be
inside the cave doling it out.
Not much they can do
to stop you doing it your way
Craig.
What happens when one of those boys dies?
Because we both know that's gonna happen.
How do I explain myself?
I'm a murderer on foreign soil.
You're an accessory.
We both end up
in a Bangkok prison. It's true.
No, no. That's when I get
Toe here to smuggle me out.
I've been told not to listen
to anything you say.
[Craig] And that is good advice.
You're a quick study.
So are we just gonna walk away?
I need to see these boys for myself.
[James] This what you want too?
[Craig] It's not about what I want.
I move with Harry.
[Harry] If they are
going to be my patients,
I surely have the right
to examine them myself.
I don't know. You'd be better off
running practice drills in a pool with us.
This whole exercise might be moot
if I get in there
and decide they're not up to it.
[Rick] Have you thought about
what it's going to be like
to swim away from these boys
knowing you could be
leaving them there to die?
[Phong's grandma]
Those are our only options?
If they were your children,
would you risk their lives
during the rescue
or risk their lives inside the cave?
Both options are risky, yes.
Of course they are. But what would you do?
I'd rescue them.
[Namhom] Why is that?
For a dangerous situation like this,
it's about choosing between a quick death
and a slow one.
But this is not my decision.
Thank you, Governor.
I appreciate your honesty.
I feel the same way.
[Narongsak] If you're willing
to give your consent,
I need you to sign a release form,
so that we can proceed.
We need the boy's name,
the guardian's name,
and your signature here.
One per family.
[people sobbing, mumbling]
[women sobbing]
I will not!
You think you know
what it feels like to have a dead child!
But I promise you, you have no idea!
And I will not sign!
I'm telling you now,
no person is going to make me
give up on my Tle!
[footsteps retreating]
- [man sobs]
- [thunder rumbles]
[Biw's dad] Sak!
You look lost!
- [Sak] I'm giving my wife some space.
- [Biw's dad] Come, take a seat.
We can take a break
from our wives together.
[Thai song playing softly on radio]
[Thai song finishes]
["Splash Out" by 3.2.1
featuring Baitoey Rsiam starts]
[chuckles softly]
- It's It's Biw's favorite song.
- [Sak] Mm, Tle too.
I always turn the volume up
whenever it comes on
just to tease him a little.
I was out the night before.
The night before they went into the cave.
But I stopped by the soccer field.
I wasn't sure if Biw wanted me
to see him there practicing.
Kids get easily embarrassed at there age.
When all this is over
Then And when Biw comes home to me
I promise to be a better father.
[thunder rumbles]
["Splash Out" continues playing softly]
Before Tle
we had a younger daughter.
Then, one day, she got really sick.
It was terminal.
I never knew about your daughter.
My condolences.
At the time
we didn't think we could recover.
Then we had Tle.
Our hearts were flooded with love again.
[poignant music playing]
We swore an oath.
We would keep him safe anyway we could.
But we have no control over this.
Trust me, we're all trying.
I believe that. I believe that.
My wife, though
[sighs]
[Biw] Hey, you're cheating!
What a noop. Two against one
and you still lost everything.
- [Night] One more game?
- [Adul] Sure.
- [Biw] Let's try again. Catch it.
- [Mark coughing]
[Nick] Coach Eak,
we're really sorry.
We all forgot how dangerous it is in here.
Because you've protected us from danger.
So we let our guard down for a time.
I'm sorry I yelled at you.
I wasn't mad at you.
I'm not mad at any of you.
[poignant music playing]
I'm mad at myself.
I'm really sorry.
[voice quavers]
I'm sorry for bringing you here
and putting you through all of this.
You don't deserve any of this. [sniffs]
You're just kids.
You know, you should be playing pranks,
having fun, enjoying life,
and not worrying about being here.
None of this is your fault, Eak.
You didn't force anybody to be here.
We wanted to be here. All of us.
Although, I didn't want to
[Eak chuckles softly]
you never forced me
to come with you, Eak.
I may not have forced you to be here
but I led the way,
and then you followed me.
I am the coach.
I am supposed to protect you.
If anything happened to any of you
[Tle] You don't have to
protect us anymore.
Because you taught us how to stay alive.
- [James] What's your name, kid?
- Can you tell my friend here your name?
Uh, Boon-Nam.
[Aran] 'Boon-Nam' means good fortune.
He's a Wild Boar who was supposed to
go into the cave with them,
but his mom called him home early.
All right, this is gonna be really weird,
but I'm gonna need you
to put your hands together like this.
- [Aran] Cross your arms behind your back.
- Well will this help my friends?
[James] Yes, sir.
[suspenseful music playing]
[men giving instructions in Thai]
[suspenseful music continues]
[Rick] We need
some sort of buoyancy for the legs.
It'd need to be something already
in the cave. We can't take more things in.
[Rick] Yeah.
How about this?
[Boon-nam breathing erratically]
[Boon-nam yelling]
- Is it over?
- Hey. It's okay, kid. You did really well.
- [Boon-nam] Where's my mom?
- [James] You're okay.
Where did she go?
I can't do it again. [crying]
[Harry] Okay, big breath in.
You gotta inhale, Mark.
- [Mark inhales deeply]
- [Harry] And out.
And now breathe out.
[Mark coughing]
Okay. Once more.
[Adul] One more time.
[Mark inhales deeply]
[deep cough]
Okay. Okay. Thank you, young man.
You take it easy, okay? Thank you, Adul.
[Mark coughing]
Look, he's not great.
He'll need treatment on the outside.
But generally, I can't believe
how healthy you've kept them all in here.
I can't take much credit. They're tough.
Hey, Adul. Maybe he has
a pet kangaroo or something.
Do you have a pet kangaroo?
[giggling] A kangaroo?
All Australians do.
They all have kangaroos!
- Everyone, really?
- [Adul] Do you really?
[everyone laughing]
When do you plan to take them out?
They're still deciding that, I'm afraid.
[Bhak] I know they're doing their best,
but the sooner
they make a decision, the better.
These kids are resilient,
more than most adults I know,
but the stress of not knowing
will wear anyone down eventually.
[boys laughing happily]
When I get out of here,
I will ask for a kangaroo.
[boys laughing, discussing kangaroos]
[spiritual music playing]
[voice quavering] I pray for the courage
to endure this life's trial.
But there's none to be found. [sobbing]
Mothers should never
outlive their babies. [sobbing]
This
This pain is excruciating.
I need help
to stay strong for my baby boy.
But I find nothing.
[sobbing]
[monk, softly] Do you know
the parable of Kisa Gotami?
[thunder rumbles ominously]
[Pim] How bad will it be, Noon?
[Noon] Stop asking me that!
I'm trying to figure it out!
It will be bad!
It's almost 40 millimeters
and still rising.
[cell phone buttons beeping]
[Noon] We've got to call it in!
- [buttons beeping]
- [Noon] Damn it! It's not working.
[Pim] Are you kidding me?
How can we have
such bad luck with satellites?
[thunder rumbling]
- [keys jingling]
- Go.
[cell phone buttons beeping]
[tense music playing]
[Kiattisak] I understand clearly, right?
The hose isn't leaking,
and the air is flowing
all the way through the system.
Your test really worked. You did it.
Yes, but this is a dry run.
It works every time we try it out here.
But both times that we've tried it
in chamber 1, it springs a leak.
The strength of the current
and wear and tear of the rope.
This is only a test, sir.
The system works out here on dry land,
but it always leaks inside the cave.
It's because of the extra water pressure.
Well, can you fix it or can't you?
Yes, sir. But we need more time.
More tests need to be conducted.
We need to be sure
that when more flood and rain comes,
and it will, that our system
can withstand the pressure.
Preparedness is key
for when the next severe storm comes.
What do you think, Chet?
You, and you alone, are the only one
who has dived in that cave.
Do you agree with the two of them?
Do you agree we need more time?
Or we have to run even more tests?
Yes, sir. We need more time.
But we will not fail.
Okay.
[Narongsak] There's nothing I can do
unless you all sign the document.
They will never leave
some of the boys in and bring some out.
It's too risky.
You either all take part
or we're already beaten.
You asked us to come,
to sign away our sons' lives.
[somber silence]
Hey, where've you been?
I was worried about you.
Praying at the temple.
I was asked about Kisa Gotami.
[Sak] Kisa?
The parable.
The monk couldn't believe
I hadn't heard of it.
[poignant music playing]
When her child died
she was heartbroken.
People say she lost her mind with grief.
And so she goes to the Buddha,
who tells her that
if she collects mustard seeds
in the village from just one family
who has not experienced death,
then he will bring
her child back from the dead.
You know, she goes to every single house,
one by one,
but everyone has lost someone they loved.
Whether it's a son,
a father,
an uncle,
an aunt,
or
a daughter.
[Phong's grandma] And she realized that
there is no house untouched by death.
And so Buddha welcomed her return
to hear how she had done.
Aware now, she was wiser and humble.
She told others about her child.
Soothing her pain by sharing with us all.
I've already buried a daughter.
[inhales shakily]
If there's a chance that signing this
will save other children,
I will do it.
I'm willing to sign it.
I know that I'm not alone.
[inhales shakily]
[haunting music playing]
May I, sir?
[haunting music continues]
[parents mumbling sadly]
[Craig] They're gonna ask us
as soon as we get in that tent.
[Harry] Course they are.
I know you wanna help.
It's your nature. You're a bloody saint.
[Harry scoffs] Piss off, would you?
We both know that's why I'm here.
To play devil on your shoulder.
If you go through with this
and even one boy dies
or a diver
Agnes was bad enough,
we lost a friend, but
she was an adult,
not some kid you drugged.
If you can't live with that
for the rest of your life, don't say yes.
No one's gonna judge you for that.
[Narongsak] I have
all the guardians' approval.
Do you have everything you need, then?
- Only one thing outstanding.
- [John] And it's not insubstantial.
Whether or not
Dr. Harris will go through with it.
What do you think?
Well, if he doesn't, then the boys
have no chance of being rescued.
The way Boon-Nam
was thrashing in the pool,
they'll panic at some point
and kill their diver and themselves.
[John] He's right.
[Noon] Governor!
There's a storm coming.
One of the largest yet.
Nothing can hold it back.
It's a tremendous amount of water.
[typing] We should be in the middle
of the storm, by this time tomorrow.
Forty-eight hours from now,
the pumps will most likely fail.
A new storm is coming,
and the pumps won't hold.
[people murmuring]
If the pumps go, that's it for diving,
with or without Harry.
What are the other options?
We're out of options.
[somber silence]
If I am to do this,
I need to be in charge
of my own patients' care.
- Everyone needs to sign off on that.
- Okay. We will.
Okay.
I'm all in.
- [all] Yes!
- [Rick] Okay!
Took you long enough.
[Kiattisak] My team
has made significant progress.
[minister] What's this?
I appreciate the valiant efforts
of your team,
but after speaking with Kiattisak,
I'm inclined to agree
that a slow, steady, and safe approach
is the way to go here.
We are out of time.
That is no longer possible.
There's no time to run the oxygen hose
all the way through the cave.
Why? What's changed? Tell us.
Please, minister, we have to launch
the operation right away.
Or we will never reach the kids.
Noon.
She has her boss on.
Listen before we resume.
The same type of storm
that trapped them is coming back.
It's going to be stronger than before.
It's coming off the Indian Ocean
and picking up strength.
It won't just lock the boys
and the SEALs inside the cave,
it may drown them altogether.
It will take months
for the water to recede.
We'll have no idea
what happened inside until then.
Listen. How can you be sure
this storm will be so severe?
Hello, minister.
We had the foresight
to install a weather station
in the mountains at Doi Pha Mee.
I can confirm.
Minister, we all wanted the safest route.
In fact, I always hoped
your plan would win out in the end.
I don't want to see those boys suffer
the way Petty Officer Sam did.
That kind of grief,
probably would destroy me.
But the circumstances have shifted again.
We are working
at the whim of forces greater than us.
We can either bend
or break.
[minister sighs]
What is your idea?
[Narongsak] Master Sergeant, please.
We have a series of complex problems
we've broken down into manageable
and surmountable chunks.
[poignant Thai music playing]
What kind of drugs will you use?
[Harry] Uh, Ketamine for sedation.
I'll administer that myself.
And once the diver and boy have gone
through the first sump into chamber 8,
my colleague Craig will be waiting
to assess the boy and his breathing.
All things going well,
we will proceed with the next boy.
What do you estimate
is the chance of success?
Uh
Minister.
It's impossible to guarantee 100% success.
We have to let go of our grief,
our desperation for complete success.
We are all grieving.
We are all haunted by Ja Sam's death.
But we have to take a risk again.
Seventy-five percent.
Fifty percent.
Thirty percent.
We will lose two-thirds,
and most likely it's going to be
the smallest kids that won't make it.
[poignant Thai music continues]
If we do nothing,
the chance of death is
[Kiattisak] close to 100%.
I'll be the first to bend.
At the very least,
these families
deserve to bury their sons.
We should not let them drown in the cave.
Either way, I don't like it,
but this is the plan.
[exhales deeply]
Minister.
Six days ago,
I asked the team here
to believe in these boys.
To see this through.
Even though for ten days
the boys had no food or water.
At that moment,
a lot of people around here
believed that those boys
could not have survived.
But they still live.
[music brightens]
They will survive this also.
Their parents and guardians
have signed the release for the dive
despite knowing the risks involved.
Those brave kids have trusted all of us.
[voice quavers] We must have trust
in ourselves so they can survive this.
[poignant music continues]
[minister inhales and exhales deeply]
You, you, you, you, and you,
please join me.
[phone rings]
Hello, sir. I have something
you need to hear.
Yes.
Repeat what you just said.
All of it.
[dissonant music playing]
[button clicks]
This is Master Sergeant James Nichols
of United States Air Force.
I have my commanding officer,
Major Charles Hensen,
Governor Narongsak, Admiral Appakorn,
and Dr. Richard Harris here with me.
Here is the mission brief.
We have a series of complex problems
we've broken down into manageable
and surmountable chunks.
- [Craig] He's gonna send us home
- [door opens]
so maybe that was it.
It's a green light.
[tense music playing]
Our mission to rescue the Wild Boars
begins now.
[dramatic drums play]
[dramatic music playing]