2018 Thai Cave Survivor Abruptly Dies at 18

LEICESTERSHIRE, UK — The captain of the boys’ soccer team that made international headlines after dramatically being rescued from being trapped in a flooded Thai cave for two weeks in 2018 has died.

The BBC reported Duangpetch Promthep, 18, was found in his dorm room in Leicestershire, UK, on Sunday before dying at the hospital on Tuesday. The cause of death is said to be from a head injury but is not being treated as suspicious.

Promthep’s passing comes six months after he arrived at Brooke House College Football Academy, where he received a scholarship last summer.

Promthep and 11 of his teammates on the Wild Boars youth soccer team made international headlines when they and their coach, Ekkaphon Kanthawong, found themselves trapped in the Tham Luang cave system in June of 2018.

The 12 boys, between the ages of 11 and 16, and their 25-year-old coach spent nine days without food or light before divers finally discovered them. The group had to spend another few days in the cave before they were sedated and rescued between July 8 and 10.

Several books and a Netflix series chronicled the 18-day waking nightmare. 

The BBC confirmed that Promthep’s mother shared the news of her son’s death with the Wat Doi Wao Temple in Chiang Rai. The temple and his teammates expressed their outpouring of support to Promthep and his family.