OnPada thepagi morninghari oftanggal 8 JulyJuli, pemerintah meminta awak media dan personel pembantu di sekitar pintu gua mengosongkan tempat karena operasi penyelamatan akan dimulai. Hujan muson diperkirakan akan membanjiri gua sampai Oktober. Tiga belas penyelam dikerahkan ke dalam gua untuk menjemput tim menggunakan "sistem menemani", dua penyelam menemani setiap anak, satu di depan dan satu di belakang.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-44755452|title=Thailand cave rescue: Mission to save boys under way|work=BBC World News|accessdate=8 July 2018|deadurl=no|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180708043718/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-44755452|archivedate=8 July 2018}}</ref> Setiap anak diberi [[masker selam]] dan ditemani dua penyelam yang membawa tabung udaranya sendiri. Mereka menyelam ke luar mengikuti tali.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-44757804|title=Thai cave rescue running 'smoothly'|date=8 July 2018|work=BBC News|access-date=8 July 2018|language=en-GB|deadurl=no|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180708121304/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-44757804|archivedate=8 July 2018|df=dmy-all}}</ref> Pemerintah mengingatkan bahwa operasi penyelamatan akan memakan waktu beberapa hari karena regu penyelamat haursharus mengganti tabung udara, perlengkapan, dan pasokan lain. Setiap tahap operasi berselang 10 sampai 20 jam.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/08/world/asia/thailand-cave-rescue-live-updates.html |title=Thailand Cave Rescue Live Updates: Four Boys Are Out, 9 to Go |date=8 July 2018 |accessdate=8 July 2018 |work=[[The New York Times]] |deadurl=no |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180708143207/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/08/world/asia/thailand-cave-rescue-live-updates.html |archivedate=8 July 2018 |df=dmy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2018/jul/08/thailand-cave-rescue-operation-divers-trapped-boys-live|title=Thailand cave rescue: navy Seals confirm four boys have been rescued – live|last=Lyons|first=Kate|last2=Busby|first2=Mattha|date=8 July 2018|work=The Guardian|accessdate=8 July 2018|deadurl=no|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180708112347/https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2018/jul/08/thailand-cave-rescue-operation-divers-trapped-boys-live|archivedate=8 July 2018|df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cnn.com/2018/07/07/asia/thai-cave-rescue-intl/index.html|title=Thai rescue: Divers start mission to free boys trapped in cave|last=George|first=Steve|work=CNN|accessdate=8 July 2018|deadurl=no|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180708043312/https://www.cnn.com/2018/07/07/asia/thai-cave-rescue-intl/index.html|archivedate=8 July 2018}}</ref> RescueRegu workerspenyelamat explainedmenjelaskan thatbahwa lowpenurunan waterpermukaan levelsair hadmempersingkat decreasedwaktu thetempuh timemasuk required to reach the entrance of the cavegua.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/live/44755093?ns_mchannel=social&ns_source=twitter&ns_campaign=bbc_live&ns_linkname=5b42065fc8d4550682f91d5e&Weakest%20boys%20'brought%20out%20first'&&ns_fee=0#post_5b42065fc8d4550682f91d5e |title=First boys 'rescued from Thailand cave'|work=BBC News|access-date=8 July 2018|language=en-GB|deadurl=no|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180708131433/https://www.bbc.com/news/live/44755093?ns_mchannel=social&ns_source=twitter&ns_campaign=bbc_live&ns_linkname=5b42065fc8d4550682f91d5e&Weakest%20boys%20'brought%20out%20first'&&ns_fee=0#post_5b42065fc8d4550682f91d5e|archivedate=8 July 2018}}</ref>
Pada pukul 19:00 waktu setempat, pejabat setempat memberitahu bahwa dua anak telah diselamatkan dari gua dan dibawa ke [[Rumah Sakit Prachanukroh Chiangrai]].<ref name="TG-20180708" /><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/live/44755093?ns_mchannel=social&ns_source=twitter&ns_campaign=bbc_live&ns_linkname=5b41fd29f0f2e1066d52517c&'Two%20kids%20are%20out'%20-%20Thai%20official&&ns_fee=0#post_5b41fd29f0f2e1066d52517c|title=First boys 'rescued from Thailand cave'|work=BBC News|access-date=8 July 2018|language=en-GB|deadurl=no|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180708131433/https://www.bbc.com/news/live/44755093?ns_mchannel=social&ns_source=twitter&ns_campaign=bbc_live&ns_linkname=5b41fd29f0f2e1066d52517c&'Two%20kids%20are%20out'%20-%20Thai%20official&&ns_fee=0#post_5b41fd29f0f2e1066d52517c|archivedate=8 July 2018}}</ref><ref name="NPR-20180708">{{cite news |last=Doubek |first=James |title=Report: 2 Of 12 Boys Rescued From Cave In Thailand |url=https://www.npr.org/2018/07/08/626986096/operations-begin-to-rescue-thai-boys-from-cave |date=8 July 2018 |work=[[NPR|NPR News]] |accessdate=8 July 2018 |deadurl=no |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180708062204/https://www.npr.org/2018/07/08/626986096/operations-begin-to-rescue-thai-boys-from-cave |archivedate=8 July 2018 }}</ref> Tidak lama kemudian, dua anak dikeluarkan dan diperiksa oleh dokter di tempat.<ref name="TG-20180708-1015a" /><ref name="TG-20180708">{{Cite news|url=http://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2018/jul/08/thailand-cave-rescue-operation-divers-trapped-boys-live|title=Thailand cave rescue: first two boys brought out, local official tells Reuters – live|last=(now)|first=Mattha Busby|date=8 July 2018|work=The Guardian|access-date=8 July 2018|last2=(earlier)|first2=Kate Lyons|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077|last3=Safi|first3=Michael|deadurl=no|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180708112347/https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2018/jul/08/thailand-cave-rescue-operation-divers-trapped-boys-live|archivedate=8 July 2018}}</ref>
