The Heroes of the 2018 Thai Cave Rescue
Our team is proud to represent three cave divers who played a key role in the 2018 Tham Luang Thailand cave rescue—Richard Stanton, John Volanthen, and Jim Warny.
Successfully locating the 12 young boys and coach trapped inside Thailand's Tham Luang cave (a feat not even special forces could carry out), the heroic divers were instrumental in the July 2018 rescue. Their dedication and expertise served as a beacon of hope throughout the tumultuous, heart-wrenching operation—and ultimately brought the entire team to safety. Learn more about each diver’s incredible story and inspiring presentation below.
Heroes of the Tham Luang Thailand Cave Rescue
- Richard Stanton: A Coventry native and former firefighter, Richard Stanton MBE is a British civilian cave diver who specializes in rescues through the Cave Rescue Organisation and the British Cave Rescue Council. Stanton and diving partner John Volanthen were the first to make contact with the team and played a leading role in the successful rescue thereafter. Rick was previously recognized as a leading cave diver, and in 2012 he was appointed to the Order of the British Empire. He has participated in numerous cave diving rescues and recoveries including the 2004 rescue of six British soldiers who were trapped for eight days in a flooded cave in Mexico. Watch Rick and John talk about last July's incredible rescue mission and the "ultimate responsibility" that is ensuring the safety of another human life.
- John Volanthen: Caving since the age of 14, John Volanthen has been at the forefront of cave exploration through his combined expertise of caving and diving. Volanthen and diving partner Rick Stanton were the first to locate the missing children and were crucial in their extraction and successful rescue. The duo led the young football team two-and-a-half miles through the flooded cave buried deep inside a mountain. He has since been named one of TIME magazine’s “Heroes of the Year,” and a video of him and Stanton making initial contact with the team has gone viral globally.
- Jim Warny: From the age of 12, Jim Warny has forged a path towards highly technical diving in extreme environments. During the Tham Luang rescue operation, Jim had the responsibility of extracting the team coach out through the complex underwater cave system. For his involvement in the rescue, he received the knighthood of the Léopold order from the king of Belgium among many other honors and recognitions. Jim has since participated in the making of a feature film depicting the epic rescue due to be released this year.
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