Journalist describes 'eerily silent' scene as first of boys rescued from Thai cave
Efforts to rescue young soccer team and coach stranded in cave continue
A journalist described an "eerily silent" scene as the first of the boys trapped in a Thai cave were brought back to the surface.
"I was right at the exit of the cave complex and it was really strange," said Stephen Boitano, a freelance video journalist who's been reporting from the Tham Luang caves.
"It was eerily silent. No one was saying a word."
The Wild Boars soccer team and their coach got trapped on June 23 when they set out to explore the vast cave complex after soccer practice, but a rain season downpour flooded the tunnels.
Boitano said the area was crowded with lots of reporters as well as a strong police and military presence.
"The ambulance came out with lights on very quietly, pulled out to the main road, turned, and its siren went off and it sped up and went away.
"It was wonderful to see that."
It took ten days before the boys were found, and almost another week before rescue efforts began.
Boitano spoke to The Current's guest host Duncan McCue about what it's been like at the scene, and the ongoing efforts to free the boys.
Listen to the full discussion near the top of this page.
This segment was produced by The Current's Idella Sturino.