Thai Cave Rescuer Explains Why Elon Musk's Rescue Idea Wouldn't Have Worked

Billionaire tech entrepreneur Elon Musk inserted himself into the dramatic rescue effort of a Thai boys soccer team when he came up with an idea for a kid-sized submarine to transport the teammates out of a cave where they were trapped.

Musk and a team of engineers from three of his companies even flew to Thailand to make their idea come to life . They named it Wild Boar, after the boys team.

The boys were sedated and escorted out by divers in stages this week without Musks involvement.

Nor did everyone appreciate his efforts.

He can stick his submarine where it hurts, expert caver Vern Unsworth told CNN International.

Unsworth was instrumental in locating the boys inside the Tham Luang cave system after they went missing. A U.K. native, he has been living nearby and exploring Tham Luang for six years, The New York Times reported .

It just had absolutely no chance of working, Unsworth contined. He had no conception of what the cave passage was like. The submarine, I believe, was about 5-foot-6 long, rigid, so it wouldnt have gone around corners, gone around any obstacles. It wouldnt have made it the first 50 meters into the cave from the dive start point.

The caver concluded that Musks effort was just a PR stunt.

The billionaires involvement was apparently inspired by a single Twitter followers request on July 3, when a user going by MabzMagz wrote, Hi sir, if possible can you assist in anyway to get the 12 Thailand boys and their coach out of the cave.

Hi sir, if possible can you assist in anyway to get the 12 Thailand boys and their coach out of the cave. @elonmusk

MabzMagz (@MabzMagz) July 3, 2018","type":"rich","meta":{"author":"MabzMagz","author_url":"https://twitter.com/MabzMagz","cache_age":86400,"description":"Hi sir, if possible can you assist in anyway to get the 12 Thailand boys and their coach out of the cave. @elonmusk MabzMagz (@MabzMagz) July 3, 2018\n\n","provider_name":"Twitter","title":"MabzMagz on Twitter","type":"rich","url":"https://twitter.com/MabzMagz/status/1014251869760249856","version":"1.0"},"flags":[],"fullBleed":false,"options":{"theme":"news","device":"mobile","editionInfo":{"id":"us","name":"U.S.","link":"https://action.news","locale":"en_US"},"originalEdition":"us","isMapi":false,"isAmp":false,"isVideoEntry":false,"isEntry":true,"isMt":false,"entryId":"5b4a6952e4b022fdcc59eba8","entryPermalink":"https://action.news/entry/thai-cave-rescuer-elon-musk-submarine_n_5b4a6952e4b022fdcc59eba8","entryTagsList":"elon-musk,thailand,submarine,thai-cave-rescue,publicity-stunt,@health_depression,@health_erectile,@health_ibs,@health_models","sectionSlug":"world-news","deptSlug":"politics-news","sectionRedirectUrl":null,"subcategories":"technology","isWide":false,"headerOverride":null,"noVideoAds":false,"disableFloat":false,"isNative":false,"commercialVideo":{"provider":"custom","site_and_category":"us.world-news","package":null},"isHighline":false,"vidibleConfigValues":{"cid":"60afc111dcf87c2cd2f5d8bf","overrides":{"front_page_top_videos":{"desktop":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","mobileweb":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d"},"top_media":{"desktop":"60b8e6bdc5449357a7ada147","mobile":"60b8e701c5449357a7ada2ee","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"},"anthology":{"desktop":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","mobile":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"},"content":{"desktop":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","mobile":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"}},"playerUpdates":{"5668ae6ee4b0b5e26955d6a6":"60d2472d9340d7032ad7e443","56aa41bae4b091744c0440d8":"60e869dc7c5f3b17b6741b81","5841b2b5cc52c716ec6e5a7f":"60b8e355cdd90620331ba185","58b5e2b8d85a10302feee895":"60b64316b171b7444beafdb2","58b74698f78ced31417819ae":"60b8e5bec5449357a7ad9b52","58b74ccecebcea57e2c3a3d1":"60b8e5eac5449357a7ad9ca5","58cff690d85a100b9992bc39":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","58cffb3fb6d9b972a49a3c9d":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","58cffdd74d96935d7d6ec180":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","58d03a84f78ced6518eb2fa7":"60b643c82e76be41f112735c","592edf20e0fa177b0c26f7fd":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","5b35266b158f855373e28256":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","5c116f29f79c4171d82b7c2a":"60b64440b171b7444beb040b","5c1170fc600c9a697bf0c6b9":"60b646102e76be41f1127ffc","5c47791afa1b317df8ae0c4f":"60b8e6bdc5449357a7ada147","5c477987a6b48b35f164773d":"60b8e701c5449357a7ada2ee","5c4779ee943c3c2a64f28371":"60b8e747cdd90620331bb861","5c477a26fcd67b26879bc7c2":"60b8e788c5449357a7ada67b","5d8921a78c3ae845f366c9b6":"60ae7be5f3a7c13a30417ff9","58b98b00ba82aa39a6534321":"60d0de7c9340d7032ad1146c","58b9d14cb6d9b96c9ec32af3":"60d0dec19340d7032ad115a0","58cff8eccebcea42931e0436":"60d0e005b627221e9d819d44","592edf5de0fa177b0c26f95b":"60d0e38fb627221e9d81adcf","58cff72fd85a100b9992c112":"60d0e447b627221e9d81b0da","56b4d34fe4b022697697c400":"60d2472d9340d7032ad7e443","60b8e4c0c5449357a7ad957d":"60e869dc7c5f3b17b6741b81"}},"connatixConfigValues":{"defaultPlayer":"ff7fdddc-5441-4253-abc4-f12a33fad58b","clickToPlayPlayer":"d014396e-b366-4c17-aeac-3ce906fa3fd0","videoPagePlayer":"f010447b-d244-4111-a314-7b4542ae4145","verticalPlayer":"e58cb05a-0bc8-4210-9108-fea82726c065","stickyPlayerControl":"52ea1755-d601-4ad1-bccc-d8cce3f0e5da","stickyPlayerON":"8055e9e5-3bda-4933-8d45-9ad814fb6e22"},"topConnatixThumnbailSrc":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mNkYAAAAAYAAjCB0C8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=","customAmpComponents":[],"ampAssetsUrl":"https://amp.assets.huffpost.com","videoTraits":null,"positionInUnitCounts":{"buzz_head":{"count":0},"buzz_body":{"count":0},"buzz_bottom":{"count":0}},"positionInSubUnitCounts":{"article_body":{"count":5},"blog_summary":{"count":0},"before_you_go_content":{"count":0}},"connatixCountsHelper":{"count":1},"buzzfeedTracking":{"context_page_id":"5b4a6952e4b022fdcc59eba8","context_page_type":"buzz","destination":"huffpost","mode":"mobile","page_edition":"en-us"},"tags":[{"name":"elon musk","slug":"elon-musk","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/elon-musk","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/elon-musk","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/elon-musk"},"relegenceId":4959178,"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"U.S. News","slug":"us-news"},"topic":{"title":"Elon Musk","slug":"elon-musk","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/elon-musk"},{"name":"Thailand","slug":"thailand","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/thailand","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/thailand","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/thailand"},"relegenceId":3695185,"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"World News","slug":"world-news"},"topic":{"title":"Thailand","slug":"thailand","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/thailand"},{"name":"submarine","slug":"submarine","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/submarine","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/submarine","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/submarine"},"url":"https://action.news/topic/submarine"},{"name":"thai cave rescue","slug":"thai-cave-rescue","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/thai-cave-rescue","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/thai-cave-rescue","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/thai-cave-rescue"},"url":"https://action.news/topic/thai-cave-rescue"},{"name":"Publicity stunt","slug":"publicity-stunt","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/publicity-stunt","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/publicity-stunt","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/publicity-stunt"},"url":"https://action.news/topic/publicity-stunt"}],"isLiveblogLive":null,"isLiveblog":false,"cetUnit":"buzz_body","bodyAds":["

\r\n\r\n","

\r\n\r\n"],"adCount":0},"isCollectionEmbed":false,"enhancements":{}}">

Hi sir, if possible can you assist in anyway to get the 12 Thailand boys and their coach out of the cave. @elonmusk
MabzMagz (@MabzMagz) July 3, 2018

I suspect the Thai govt has this under control, but I am happy to help if there is a way to do so, Musk replied.

He was compelled to defend himself against numerous critics, especially after a former provincial governor in Thailand rejected the idea.

I assure you that the equipment he brought to help us is not practical for our mission, the former governor said, according to the Times . Even though the equipment has state of the art technology, it does not fit our mission in the cave.

Your Support Has Never Been More Critical

Other news outlets have retreated behind paywalls. At HuffPost, we believe journalism should be free for everyone.

Would you help us provide essential information to our readers during this critical time? We can't do it without you.

Can't afford to contribute? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.

You've supported HuffPost before, and we'll be honest we could use your help again . We view our mission to provide free, fair news as critically important in this crucial moment, and we can't do it without you.

Whether you give once or many more times, we appreciate your contribution to keeping our journalism free for all.

Whether you give just one more time or sign up again to contribute regularly, we appreciate you playing a part in keeping our journalism free for all.

Support HuffPost

In response, Musk shared email correspondence with a different cave diver at the site, Richard Stanton, who asked Musk to please keep working on the capsule details, as the rescue crew was worried about the smallest lad.

Ultimately, the sub was not used. According to Unsworth, Musk was asked to leave [the caves] very quickly after his arrival.

He left it in Thailand, just in case it may be useful in the future.

Your Support Has Never Been More Critical

Related