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Thai rescue football captain who survived for 18 days in cave dies in UK from head injury

Feb. 15, 2023
Thai rescue football captain who survived for 18 days in cave dies in UK from head injury

One of the 12 boys who was rescued from a Thai cave in 2018, has died in the UK.

The cause of the death is unclear, but the teenager is reported to have sustained a head injury while on a scholarship at a sports academy in the UK.

Duangpetch Promthep enrolled in the Brooke House College Football Academy in Leicester late last year when he was 17.

His heartbroken friend, who was also in the cave, wrote on Facebook: "Rip my dear friend. The 12 of us have been through a lot of things together, sadness, happiness, risk of death and many difficulties together. You told me to wait and see when you join the national team.

"I always believed that you can do it. When we met last time before going to England, I still told you jokingly that I have to ask for your signature when I come back. Rest in peace, my friend. We will always be 12 of us."

Mr Promthep was the captain of the Thai boys' football team, which was trapped along with their coach for two weeks while exploring the Chiang Rai province.

The Wild Boars (Moo Pa in Thai) football team, had ventured into the Tham Luang cave on 23 June 2018 before they were trapped by rising flood waters for over two weeks.

The teammates were aged between 11 and 16 and the story captured the world's attention.

A dramatic search and rescue effort involved nearly 100 Thai and foreign divers and they were eventually rescued by a team of divers while sedated with the drug ketamine.

It was British divers who first found the boys alive. Firefighter Rick Stanton and IT consultant John Volanthen were hailed for helping to find the trapped group amid fears they would be found dead.

The elite divers established reputations as being among the best cave rescuers in the world and were called upon by Thai authorities who were seeking expert help.

Mr Volanthen said at the time: "We are not heroes, quite the opposite. It's not like that – if you could do the same for someone else's child, you would."

Mr Promthep's mother informed the Wat Doi Wao temple in his hometown in Chiang Rai.

The temple posted condolences on Facebook on Wednesday.

"May his soul rest in peace," said the post, which was accompanied by pictures of the football team with monks.

Zico Foundation, a Thai non-profit that had helped Promthep win a scholarship to study in England, also expressed condolences on Facebook.


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