Chiang Rai Governor Narongsak Osottanakorn said there were several cases in which well-meaning volunteers, deviating from the war-room plan, had put volunteers’ lives at risk.

There was a backlash after officers forbade well-meaning volunteers from help in the operation, said the chief commander of the joint rescue operation to save the lives of 12 footballers and an assistant coach stranded inside Tham Luang cave since June 23.

“I know everyone wants to help but we are in a battlefield, racing against time and tide to save 13 lives,” he said.

Narongsak insisted that the joint operation needed cooperation and order. Every team must be registered with assignments systematically allocated to each group, and everyone must strictly follow commands. He also cited two cases of problematic rescue teams.

In one case, four officers involved in underground water drilling operations ignored commands, only to be trapped in the cave as the water level increased. Other teams had to be diverted from their work to rescue them and it was not until Thursday afternoon that the four missing rescuers were found by English diving experts.

“Our mission is to rescue the 13 missing people. We cannot sacrifice any more time or any lives,” Narongsak said.

In another case, a well-meaning volunteer group went in search of a shaft that might open a way to rescue the footballers. Sadly, one of them ended up falling from a rail and was injured. “It took us three hours to rescue him and rush him to a nearby hospital,” the governor said.

“Don’t forget that we are carrying out an important mission and every minute counts. To us, the missing Mu Pa team is like our kids,” he reminded rescuers.