Duangpetch “Dom” Promthep, who trapped in a cave in Thailand for two weeks, died in the UK

According to reports from the BBC, Duangpetch Promthep, the former captain of the Thai boys’ football team that was stuck in a cave for two weeks in 2018, has passed away.

He had enrolled in the Brooke House College Football Academy in Leicester last year and is said to have died in the UK.

The incident of the 12 boys and their coach being trapped in the Thai cave due to floodwaters had captured global attention, and rescuers spent several days planning an operation to bring them out safely.

The world celebrated when the boys were finally rescued, both in Thailand and across the globe. Duangpetch, who was previously a student of a Thai non-profit organization called Zico Foundation, was confirmed to have passed away by the foundation in a post offering condolences.

Supatpong Methigo, a former teacher of Duangpetch, who was affectionately known as “Dom,” wrote on Facebook that the boy was a wonderful student who was diligent in his studies and prayers.

According to Supatpong, Duangpetch’s grandmother reported that the boy had an accident and there were reports of a head injury.

The teacher expressed his hope that Duangpetch’s dharma, a term with various Buddhist meanings, would accompany him into his next life.

In 2018, the Wild Boars soccer team, whose members ranged in age from 11 to 16, and their coach, who was 25 years old, were exploring the Tham Luang Nang Non cave complex in the northern province of Chiang Rai when a torrential rainstorm flooded the tunnels, trapping them inside on June 23rd.

The team was eventually discovered by British divers, who found them huddled on a muddy bank in a partially flooded chamber several kilometers into the caves, hungry and in darkness.

However, rescuing the group was a challenging task that took several days to plan. Divers had to navigate the complicated cave system in rescue missions that sometimes lasted up to 11 hours.

The rescue efforts also received support from volunteers from as far away as Australia and the United States.