Thai navy diver dies during rescue effort to save football team from flooded cave

A Thai navy diver has died while working as part of the attempt to rescue a dozen boys and their football coach trapped in a flooded cave.

The rescuer, a former Thai SEAL named as Petty Officer Saman Gunan, died from a lack of oxygen during an overnight mission.

Thai SEAL commander Arpakorn Yookongkaew told a news conference that PO Gunan was working in a volunteer capacity on a mission to place oxygen canisters. While underwater, he passed out and efforts to resuscitate him failed.

He said: “Despite this, we will continue until we accomplish our mission.”

The boys and their coach have been trapped in a flooded cave since June 23.

Authorities are racing to pump water from the cave before more rains hit the northern region but the conditions may mean the boys have to undertake a risky dive themselves.

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Rains are due to hit by Saturday, raising water levels in the cave, which means the boys and their coach may have to be brought out using scuba gear and the group has already practised wearing diving masks and breathing in preparation for the diving possibility.

But officials are hoping that efforts to drain the cave will lower the water, allowing the boys to keep their head above water so they don’t have to rely on scuba gear.

“We can no longer wait for all conditions (to be ready) because the circumstance is pressuring us,” Mr Arpakorn said.

“We originally thought the boys can stay safe inside the cave for quite some time but circumstances have changed. We have limited amount of time.”

Chiang Rai provincial Governor Narongsak Osatanakorn previously said he asked the SEALs in charge of extraction plans to estimate what sort of a risk would be involved to bring out the boys and their coach even though they weren’t 100% ready for a risky dive.

The governor has said the 13 may not be extracted at the same time, depending on their condition.

The boys, aged 11-16, and their 25-year-old coach went exploring in the Tham Luang Nang Non cave in the northern province after a football game on June 23 but flash flooding cut them off.

They were found after a nine-day search and have been described as in good health.

They are being looked after by Thai navy SEALs, including medics, who are staying with them inside the cave.