Duangpetch Promthep, one of the 12 boys on a soccer team who were rescued from a flooding Thai cave in 2018, has died.
The 17-year-old was found unconscious in his dorm at a soccer academy in Leicestershire in the United Kingdom, on Sunday and taken to a hospital, where he died on Tuesday, according to the BBC.
Officials say they do not have a cause of death yet, but do not suspect foul play. According to the BBC, there are reports in his native Thailand that he had had a head injury.
He was captain of the Thai boys’ football team, which was trapped inside a cave for more than two weeks in Thailand, sparking an international rescue effort.
He was in his first year at the Brooke House College Football Academy in Market Harborough. Promthep was awarded a scholarship to the facility.
Duangpetch Promthep, the captain of the Thai boys soccer team that was trapped in a flooded cave for three weeks in 2018 before being rescued, has died in England. He was 17. https://t.co/8WTf4sjw6Z pic.twitter.com/Gs4ebswsnA
— The New York Times (@nytimes) February 15, 2023
In June 2018, the group of boys went into the caves to explore and was trapped after a sudden storm flooded the passageways into the cave.
The team and coach became trapped and spent nine days in darkness and without food while searchers looked for them.
According to the BBC, Promthep turned 13 while he was trapped in the cave.
The daring rescue was followed by people worldwide.
Captain of the Thai football team rescued from cave in 2018 dies of a head injury in the UK, aged 18 https://t.co/whG4ONr5Gt
— BBC Breaking News (@BBCBreaking) February 15, 2023
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