An Australian doctor, lauded for his part in rescuing 12 young Thai footballers and their coach from a flooded cave system, has described the moment divers realised they would have to “swim” the trapped boys out of the cave. Writing on Facebook as he prepared to return home on an Australian airforce transport plane, Richard Harris described the massive efforts by Thai and international cave divers to rescue the boys from deep within the Tham Luang cave system after they were first reached by the British divers John Volanthen and Rick Stanton.

Harris captured international attention after he entered the cave and then elected to stay with the trapped boys for three days. Harris paid tribute to the former Thai navy Seal Saman Kunan, who died during the rescue efforts delivering oxygen tanks into the cave system. Harris, who works for South Australia’s ambulance service and is known as Harry, had been identified for his expertise in cave rescues, with British divers requesting he join the team. “By the time we arrived on site, local divers … had already been doing the most extraordinary dives through the cave and laying the very robust rope which made all subsequent dives to the soccer team not only possible, but safe,” wrote Harris.(theguardian)…[+]