Thai cave rescue survivor dies aged just 17
Duangphet Promthep, one of 12 boys who was rescued along with their soccer coach from the Tham Luang Nang Non cave system in northern Thailand, has died.
Duangphet was found unconscious in his dormitory on Sunday, and sadly passed away two days later. While the exact cause of death is unknown at this time, reports from the United Kingdom suggest he had suffered a head injury.
Duangphet had only been enrolled in Leicester’s Brooke House College Football Academy since late 2022.
Thai non-profit organisation Zico Foundation, which had assisted him in getting a scholarship to study in England, shared its condolences on Facebook.
“Zico Foundation would like to express its condolences and condolence for the passing away of Little Dom Duangphet Phromthep,” they wrote of Duangphet, who also went by the name ‘Dom’, “a student of Zico Foundation.”
When Duangphet was only 13 years old, he was trapped with his soccer team - the Wild Boars soccer team of which he was captain - and their squad’s assistant coach for over two weeks in a cave system known as the ‘Great Cave of the Sleeping Lady'.
The twelve boys were between the ages 11 and 16, and 4 kilometres into their fateful adventure, when rising floodwaters prevented their escape from Thailand’s fourth-largest cave system.
It was an international effort to save the boys and their coach, with a search and rescue mission that spanned over two weeks, with divers from Thailand and from overseas stepping in to help.
Some of the boys who were with him in those terrifying times shared their condolences on social media as news of his passing broke around the world.
“Brother, you told me that we would be achieving our football dream,” wrote Titan Chanin Viboonrungruan. “If the next world is real, I want us to play football together again, my brother Dom.”
“You told me to wait and see you play for the national team, I always believed that you would do it," Prachak Sutham said. "When we met the last time before you left for England, I even jokingly told you that when you come back, I would have to ask for your autograph.
"Sleep well, my dear friend. We will always have 13 of us together."
In a statement, Duangphet’s school principal Ian Smith said, “this event has left our college community deeply saddened and shaken.
“We unite in grief with all of Dom's family, friends, former teammates and those involved in all parts of his life, as well as everyone affected in any way by this loss in Thailand and throughout the college's global family."
Dom’s mother joined an online news conference and shared her hope that a Buddhist monk in England would be able to conduct rites for Duangphet.
In that same conference, former Thai national soccer team coach and the Zico Foundation’s chairman Kiatisuk Senamuang, described his shock at the news of Duangphet’s passing.
“My thoughts are with his family and friends,' he said, fighting tears. 'I think back to his dream of becoming a professional footballer, representing his country and his voice keeps speaking in my head.”
He went on to explain that as far as he knew, Duangphet had been healthy, as a full health check had been performed in order for Duangphet to obtain his student visa. While his cause of death is currently unknown, an investigation into the cause will likely take place, and hopefully provide his loved ones with closure in this tragic time.
Image: Facebook