The missing Thai boys shielded their eyes from the glare of torches as British rescuers finally reached the location of their shelter, up to one kilometer underground in a narrow, windy cave system in northern Thailand.
It was the first time the boys and their coach had seen anyone else in nine days.
These are the first words between the Thai soccer team and the British dive team at the end of a dangerous and muddy mission to find them.
Boys: Hey you, thank you, thank you
Rescuer: How many of you?
Boy: Thirteen
Rescuer: Thirteen. Brilliant
Boy: Yeah, yeah. We going today?
Rescuer: Not today. Not today. It’s two of us. You have to tell them. We are coming. It’s okay. Many people are coming. We are the first.
Boy: What is today?
Rescuer: What day is it now? Monday. Monday. You have been here 10 days. 10 days. You are very strong, very strong.
Boys: Inaudible
Rescuer: Ok. Get back. We come. We come.
Boy: We are hungry.
Rescuer: I know. I know. I understand. We come. Ok, we come.
Boy: Tell them we are hungry (in Thai).
Boy: They said they know (in Thai).
Rescuers: We come, we come.
Boy: We haven’t eaten (in Thai). We have to eat, eat, eat.
Boy: Already told them (in Thai).
Rescuer: Navy SEAL will come tomorrow, with food and doctors and everything.
Boys: I am very happy
Rescuers: We are happy too
Boys: Thank you so much, thank you so much.
Rescuers: Ok.
Boys: Where do you come from?
Rescuers: England, UK.
Boys: Oh!