Thai cave rescue boy rescued with football team dies aged 18 after suffering head injury in UK

One of 12 boys rescued from a Thai cave in 2018 has died in Britain.

Duangpetch Promthep, 18, was part of the young squad of footballers trapped in a flooded cave for more than two weeks before being rescued in a dramatic rescue operation.

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Duangpetch – also known as Dom – is believed to have died after suffering a head injury.

Duangpetch, who was 13 at the time of the incident in 2018, said his “dream came true” when he signed up for Brooke House College Football Academy in Leicester last year.

Supatpong Methigo, a Buddhist monk who taught him, said Duangpetch’s grandmother told him he died in an accident.

Methigo claimed the teenager hit his head and could not be saved.

Paying tribute, he said: “Duangphet Phromthep has gone to a good place. May the soul rest in peace.”

Duangpetch was the captain of the Wild Boards, the team trapped along with their trainer after venturing into the Tham Luang Caverns in June 2018.

Monsoon floods cut off their escape and prevented rescuers from finding them for nearly ten days.

The world watched as a team of 90 experienced divers – 40 from Thailand and 50 from abroad – struggled in the caves to get them out safely.

Divers led the boys, aged 11 to 16, and their trainer through darkness and narrow corridors to the entrance of the cave system.

Each boy wore full-face masks, which are easier for novice divers, and were accompanied by two divers, who also carried his air supply.

The hardest part of the escape was at a section called the “T-Junction” or “Choke Spot,” which was so narrow that divers had to detach their air tanks to get through.

After a dangerous three-day rescue mission, the brave boys were treated by paramedics after their nightmarish deployment in Chiang Rai’s tunnel network.

All 12 boys were gradually rescued between July 8th and 10th when the last four boys and the trainer got to safety.

But sadly, former elite Navy SEAL Saman Kunan tragically died after suffocating during the mission.

The veteran diver, 38, lost consciousness as he made his way back to safety after delivering essential supplies to the group.

The Sun has reached out to Brooke House College Football Academy for comment.

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