Tham Luang cave rescue

The Tham Luang cave rescue involved the rescue of twelve boys aged 11 to 16 and a 25-year-old man who became stranded in Tham Luang Nang Non (Thai: ถ้ำหลวงนางนอน; "Great Cave of the Sleeping Lady"), a cave in Thailand's Chiang Rai Province on 23 June 2018. Heavy rains flooded the cave during their visit. The boys – all members of a local association football team – and their assistant coach were reported missing a few hours later, and search operations began immediately.^[1]

The rescue effort expanded into a massive operation. After struggles through narrow passages and muddy waters, British divers discovered the missing people, all alive, on an elevated rock about 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) from the cave mouth, on 2 July, over nine days after they went missing. To leave the cave, they may need to learn to dive or wait months for the floodwater to drop in a few months^[2]

Over 1,000 people have been involved in the rescue operation, including Thai Navy Seals as well as volunteers, teams and technical assistance from multiple countries ^[3] A 38-year-old former Thai Navy Seal died while attempting to return after delivering supplies of air to the cave on 5 July.^[4][5]

Aftermath: the captain of the football team died in 2023; As of 2023, he had a head injury.^[6]