Tech billionaire Elon Musk dispatched his top engineers to Thailand, hoping to help rescue the schoolboys trapped in a flooded cave. The 12 boys and their coach were all rescued before Musk’s team was able to give assistance.

On Twitter, Musk suggested that an underwater air tube could be created for the children to crawl through. The 47-year-old said his Boring Company, which digs tunnels for advanced transport systems, could feed a nylon tube into the submerged sections of the cave before inflating it “like a bouncy castle” to create an underwater tunnel.

When asked for his input on the ongoing rescue efforts in Thailand, Musk initially suggested using an “advanced ground penetrating radar*” to help rescuers. Tesla could supply “fully charged Powerpacks and pumps” to help remove water from the cave network, Musk added.

The schoolboys were trapped 800 meters underground. These tubes would provide an escape tunnel the children could crawl through to safety, Musk suggests.

John Howell, professor of geology at the University of Aberdeen, warned that feeding a nylon tube through a limestone cave network could lead to tears in the fabric, instantly flooding the escape tunnel. “The practicalities* make me think it is not possible.”

Drilling expert Kelvin Brown, who was part of the team that rescued 33 Chilean miners in 2010, said drilling into unknown areas could result in the trapped boys being hit by falling boulders.(SD-Agencies)