To Elon Musk’s resumé of electric car pioneer, solar energy advocate, Hyperloop dreamer and space traveler, add wannabe rescuer of young boys trapped in Thai cave. The Tesla Inc. TSLA, +2.39% chief executive said in a series of tweets Thursday that he is sending engineers from two of his companies to Thailand to assist with the effort to bring out the 12 members of a Thai soccer team and their coach from a flooded cave that has kept them underground for about two weeks. The boys, who range in age from 11 to 16, were found alive on Monday after going missing in a flooded network of caves. The rescue effort is being hampered by high water levels that are not expected to subside for weeks and their inability to swim. Read also: Thailand cave rescue: Volunteer diver dies during operation Musk said his Boring Co., whose main mission is to dig tunnels for futuristic transport systems, and SpaceX, his space exploration company, will send engineers to Thailand on Saturday. The rescue effort can use these companies’ battery packs, air pumps and tubes, Musk said, and speculated that a nylon tube could be inserted into the cave and then inflated with air, “like a bouncy castle.” Musk had already offered the Thai government his help earlier this week. There has been no official response to his offer yet. The tweets proved a welcome break from another series blasted out by Musk earlier in the day that again attacked media outlets that Musk believes are hostile to Tesla, including Reuters, Business Insider and CNBC. Musk has become a relentless critic of the press and recently unveiled plans to create a Yelp-like site to let people rate the credibility of journalists and news organizations, and suggested he would name it after the former Soviet Union’s main propaganda outlet, Pravda. On Thursday, Musk dismissed a report from Reuters TRI, +0.23% last week that described the hothouse atmosphere at Tesla’s Fremont, Calif., production plant as it pulled out all the stops to meet a key production goal. “Reuters is relentlessly negative about Telsa,” he wrote, accusing the news agency of misleading the public. He then proceeded to criticize Business Insider and said reporter Linette Lopez had written “several false articles” about Telsa and even paid a former employee for intellectual property. Business Insider shot down the claim and said it stands by Lopez’s reporting. Finally, Musk criticized CNBC and its analysts for “extremely bad prediction records.” Musk’s habit of railing against the media has led some analysts to question his suitability to the role of head of a public company. His many projects and companies have others asking if he is being spread a little too thin. See now:After eight years as a public company, Tesla still has teething problems Meanwhile, the company said on Monday that it had finally achieved a key production goal of 5,000 Model 3s a week, a target that had proved elusive for the past several quarters. But the goal was met by creating a temporary production line in a tent, leaving some to question whether it is sustainable. Tesla shares were slightly lower premarket Friday, but have fallen 0.7% in 2018 through Thursday, while the S&P 500 SPX, +0.19% has gained 2.4%. Highlights From Elon Musk's Combative Tesla Earnings Call Read now:Tesla stock slammed as analysts question whether production goal is sustainable<doc-sep>Tesla Inc.’s (TSLA) founder and chief executive Elon Musk disclosed on Twitter that he is sending engineers from two of his companies to help rescuers in Thailand free the boys’ soccer team that has been trapped in a cave for nearly two weeks. On Twitter Musk said engineers from both SpaceX, his space exploration company, and The Boring Company, his tunneling business, will arrive in Thailand on Saturday to assist. Musk noted in the Twitter post that the engineers will see if they can be helpful to the government and that the complexities of the rescue are hard to appreciate without being there. SpaceX & Boring Co engineers headed to Thailand tomorrow to see if we can be helpful to govt. There are probably many complexities that are hard to appreciate without being there in person. — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 6, 2018 CNBC noted that earlier in the week Musk said technicians could pump water through the cave using a Tesla powerpack battery and suggested rescuers could use a nylon tube that is inserted in the cave to inflate it with air. It's not clear if the Thai government will accept the extra help. (See more: Tesla Now a "Real Car Company," Says Musk After Key Production Goal Is Met.) The stranded group, 12 boys between the ages of 11 and 16 and their coach, was discovered on Monday. There are concerns the 13 may have to stay in the cave for months because of the rainy season that is about to begin. Overnight a diver died during the rescue mission when his oxygen tank ran out in one of the cave’s passageways, according to CNBC. Rescue efforts have been hampered by narrow passageways, rising water and the fact that many of the boys can’t swim. Musk Has Offered To Help Before This isn’t the first time Musk has offered the help of his companies to deal with a disaster or emergency. After Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico in October leaving millions of residents on the island in the dark Musk offered to help, saying in a tweet at the time that his SolarCity company has brought efficient power sources to smaller islands and could do the same in Puerto Rico. His offer for help was warmly received by the Puerto Rico governor Ricardo Rosselló. (See more: Tesla Cuts 9% of Staff: 'Difficult Yet Necessary'.) The Boring Company was conceptualized and built by Musk for building an underground network of interconnected tunnels in cities like Los Angeles. The company raised capital by selling company merchandise including hats and flamethrowers.<doc-sep>Tesla founder Elon Musk has been left bewildered following a wave of backlash for his attempt to help save the Thai soccer team and coach trapped in a cave. All 12 boys and the coach have now been successfully rescued by dive crews following weeks trapped underground. In the midst of the rescue effort, Musk sprung into action to build a small tube submarine that could fit the boys inside and safely transport them through the waters. Musk had sent engineers to Thailand and eventually arrived himself. He was testing the Wild Boar—the child submarine, named after the boys' soccer team—in pools in the United States. Despite quick work, and the small submarine arriving in Thailand as four boys were still trapped, it was not used in the rescues. Musk described his Wild Boar as being "a tiny, kid-size submarine" which uses parts from the Space X Falcon rocket as the hull. "Light enough to be carried by two divers, small enough to get through narrow gaps," Musk said. "Extremely robust." Once local authorities decided not to use Wild Boar, Musk became an easy target on social media. Reports emerged of the Thai rescue chief describing the submarine as "not practical", but Musk refuted a story by the BBC. "The former Thai provincial governor (described inaccurately as 'rescue chief') is not the subject matter expert," Musk tweeted. "That would be Dick Stanton, who co-led the dive rescue team." Musk also tweeted an image of an email chain with Stanton. Musk was told by email "It is absolutely worth continuing with the development of this system." On Twitter, Musk responded to another user's tweet and said the reaction he received has "shaken" his opinion of many people. "The hatred being spewed about @elonmusk is ridiculous," Twitter user Dave Temkin wrote. "Any engineer always needs a backup plan. He tried to help in the best way he knew how." Musk responded: "This reaction has shaken my opinion of many people," he said. "We were asked to create a backup option & worked hard to do so. Checked with dive team many times to confirm it was worthwhile. Now it's there for anyone who needs it in the future. Something's messed up if this is not a good thing." live footage of elon musk leaving thailand pic.twitter.com/h30PDLeodt — spoopy m (@sazza_jay) July 10, 2018 Elon Musk wants to be tony stark so bad after all his years of being a dweeb — ^_^ (@BBWslayer666) July 10, 2018 Can Elon Musk just invent a machine that gives him the attention he needs so we donât all have to do it anymore. — Super Deluxe (@superdeluxe) July 10, 2018 Despite some calling the whole thing a PR stunt, Musk has already taken up another project. He has now pledged to fix the water contamination issue in Flint, Michigan. "Please consider this a commitment that I will fund fixing the water in any house in Flint that has water contamination above FDA levels. No kidding." His claims were quickly followed up by the mayor of Flint, Karen Williams Weaver. "Mr Musk, I am the Mayor of Flint. I would like to have a conversation with you about Flint's specific needs," Weaver wrote. "Sure, will call tomorrow," Musk responded.<doc-sep>Thai Cave rescue: Elon Musk in talks to help authorities top stories direct to your inbox SUBSCRIBE Invalid email Sign up to receive our rundown of the day'sdirect to your inbox When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. Sometimes they'll include recommendations for other related newsletters or services we offer. Our Privacy Notice explains more about how we use your data, and your rights. You can unsubscribe at any time. The billionaire's team is said to be talking with Thai authorities about the possibility of using SpaceX and Boring Company technology to help rescuers retrieve the young players and their coach from the depths of the Tham Luang Nang Non cave complex. The report also said Mr Musk’s companies could provide heavy-duty pumps or battery packs. In a recent update on Twitter, Tesla CEO said about his technology: “Boring Co. has advanced ground penetrating radar & is pretty good at digging holes. “Don’t know if pump rate is limited by electric power or pumps are too small. “If so, could drop a ship fully charged Powerpacks and pumps.” A spokesman for Mr Musk confirmed the talks between Tesla CEO and Thai rescuers, but did not elaborate on their content. The Thai government hasn't accepted any offer so fair, Bloomberg reported. The members of the Wild Boar football team have been stuck inside the cave since June 23, after the group got stranded in an air pocket inside the complex due to flooding. The Thailand cave rescue in pictures Wed, July 11, 2018 Thailand cave rescue: Pictures show the dramatic rescue operation of a trapped youth football team and their coach. Play slideshow EPA 1 of 45 All 12 of the trapped football team and their coach have been rescued from a cave in Thailand Rescue divers incredibly found all 12 boys and their 25-year-old coach and began to race against time to pull the whole group out of the flooded cavern. There are currently three plans considered for the group’s rescue. The first plan involves teaching the children and their coach how to dive, the second involves draining the tunnels to adequately lower the water levels, and the third involves drilling into the caves to create a way out for the stranded soccer team. Elon Musk's companies, Boring Company and Tesla can provide support for the third and second plans. Thai cave rescue: 'No good choices' to save boys says expert There have been four months worth of food supplied to the boys owever, considering the risks brought about by the monsoon season, there have been four months worth of food supplied to the boys, in the event that rescue efforts fail and the group has to stay in the cave for long. Tesla is no stranger to humanitarian efforts and it is still currently in the process of helping Puerto Rico get back on its feet after the island nation was ravaged by Hurricane Maria last year. In Australia, Tesla is also laying the foundations of what could become a virtual power plant with 50,000 low-income households fitted with solar panels and Tesla Powerwall 2 batteries.<doc-sep>
By In a recent update on Twitter, Tesla CEO Elon Musk offered to lend a hand to the ongoing rescue efforts for the stranded soccer team in Thailand. According to Musk, technology from the Boring Company and Tesla could help rescuers retrieve the 12 young players and their coach from the depths of the Tham Luang Nang Non cave complex. Elon Musk’s offer to help in the rescue efforts for the young soccer team came as a response to one of his followers on Twitter. Musk initially stated that he would be happy to help if he is able, but earlier today, the Tesla and SpaceX CEO offered a concrete way to assist in the rescue operations. Boring Co has advanced ground penetrating radar & is pretty good at digging holes. Don’t know if pump rate is limited by electric power or pumps are too smal. If so, could dropship fully charged Powerpacks and pumps. — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 5, 2018 The members of the Wild Boar soccer team had been trapped inside the cave complex since June 23, after the group got stranded in an air pocket inside the caverns due to flooding in the area. The team’s plight has captured attention worldwide, and this Monday, the 12 boys, aged 11-15, as well as their 25-year-old coach, received their first dose of good news when two British divers found them in a cavern 2.5 miles away from the entrance of the caves. Thai Navy SEAL divers, including a doctor and a nurse, opted to stay with the soccer team on Tuesday, providing them with food and other supplies. As noted in a recent report from The Guardian, there are currently three plans being considered for the group’s rescue. The first plan involves teaching the children and their coach how to dive, the second involves draining the tunnels to adequately lower the water levels, and the third involves drilling into the caves to create a way out for the stranded soccer team. If Musk’s tweet is any indication, the Boring Company and Tesla can provide support for the third and second plans. The Boring Company, after all, specializes in tunneling and drilling underground. As noted by Musk, the tunneling startup’s digging equipment and ground-penetrating radar could be of use when drilling into the caves. Government officials have expressed reservations for this plan, however, considering that the boys are located 800m-1km below the surface. An attempt to drain the caves has already started as well, and as noted by Musk in his tweet, Tesla Powerpack batteries could be hooked up to stronger pumps in order to help lower the water levels in the caverns faster. Considering the risks brought about by the monsoon season, however, the Thai government is preparing to send up to four months’ worth of supplies to the stranded soccer team, in the event that rescue efforts fail and they have to stay in the caves for the long run. Tesla is no stranger to humanitarian efforts. Even until today, Tesla is still in the process of helping Puerto Rico get back on its feet after the island nation was ravaged by Hurricane Maria last year. In a recent update, Musk noted that there are currently 11,000 projects ongoing in Puerto Rico today. Over in Australia, Tesla is also laying the foundations of what could become a virtual power plant comprised of 50,000 low-income households fitted with solar panels and Tesla Powerwall 2 batteries. Elon Musk offers Tesla Powerpacks, Boring Co. tech to help rescue stranded soccer team in Thailand