BANGKOK: One of 12 boys dramatically rescued after two weeks trapped in a flooded cave in Thailand in 2018 has died in Britain where he was attending a soccer academy, his former teacher said on Wednesday. Duangpetch Promthep, better known as “Dom”, was captain of the “Wild Boars” team whose seemingly impossible extraction by international divers and Thai navy SEALs captured huge global attention. The circumstances of 17-year-old Duangpetch’s death were not clear. The news was shared on social media by Supatpong Methigo who taught the boys. Reuters could not independently confirm the death, which Supatpong said he learned of from Duangpetch’s grandmother, who said he had suffered an unspecified accident in Britain.
In June 2018, the boys, aged 11-16 and their 25-year-old assistant coach set off to explore the Tham Luang cave complex, but ended up trapped by flood waters. They were found nine days later in a flooded chamber 4km from the entrance of the caves. Their complicated extraction started six days later in an unprecedented operation. The boys’ story has been the subject of books, documentaries and films, and most recently, the Netflix series “Thai Cave Rescue“.
In June 2018, the boys, aged 11-16 and their 25-year-old assistant coach set off to explore the Tham Luang cave complex, but ended up trapped by flood waters. They were found nine days later in a flooded chamber 4km from the entrance of the caves. Their complicated extraction started six days later in an unprecedented operation. The boys’ story has been the subject of books, documentaries and films, and most recently, the Netflix series “Thai Cave Rescue“.