Hi - have name changed and given this to my DH to answer - he was in cave rescue for a few years and wants to add a few things.
Hi - we are all glued to this. Cave diving is by far the most dangerous thing ever, full stop. The fact that these lads are making it out is nothing short of amazing.
The things to remember are that all cave rescuers in the UK including the CDG (cave diving group) are volunteers. They willingly get out of bed at 2am on a cold wet night to get people out of caves. Why, because we know they would do it for us if we were stuck. In the case of a massive "shout" all the groups across the UK converge on the scene to provide help. The big caving clubs maintain lists of people within a couple of hours of the cave systems who can help out as well.
The chaps from the UK out there are volunteers also and are probably taking unpaid leave to be there and it is almost certainly all there own kit they are using. The two whose names have been mentioned are pretty much the world experts at doing this and have written the book on how to do it. Not that there is a book.
They will be operating in dive relays to move the boys through the sump and then handing over to escorts to bring them out. Dont forget it sounds like a 3 or 4 hour rough trip to get out from the flooded sections.
So if you are moved - do donate to the BCRC or your local cave rescue team. The money isnt used on any admin or fluff it goes to support the landrovers, the ropes, the stretchers, the radios, the earth return phone systems, the hey-phones (well beyond my ken but someone got a PhD developing a radio that worked through a mile of rock)
As the late great Jim Eyre would say - "here come them cave rescuers, with their ropes and their stretchuers"
Looking forward to hearing more good news. If anyone can pull it off these guys can....