Thai Navy diver dies exiting cave where soccer team remain trapped

A former Thai Navy diver has died while trying to rescue the boys soccer team trapped in a cave in northern Thailand. 

Sadly at 2am on Friday, the diver – who was part of the rescue team of international experts – was pronounced dead due to lack of air after trying to return to a command centre almost 2km inside the cave, CNN reported.

Announcing the devastating news to reporters on Friday morning, Chiang Rai Deputy Governor Passakorn Boonyaluck said 38-year-old Saman Gunan was working in a volunteer capacity.

“His job was to deliver oxygen (in the cave). He did not have enough on his way back,” news.com.au reported he said.

Dozens of experts and military elites have been called in for the rescue mission, but they’ve so far been unsuccessful in their attempts to retrieve the stranded group.

It has been almost two weeks since the soccer team and their 25-year-old coach were reported missing with emergency crews making the miraculous discovery nine days after they were reported missing.

Surprisingly the boys seemed in good spirits and health despite being trapped inside the pitch black cave on a muddy ledge without food for over a week.

However, their conditions are quickly deteriorating and with heavy rainfalls forecast in coming days, options to rescue them from the depth of the Tham Luang Nang Non cave complex are dwindling.

Shortly before the death of the diver, experts revealed they were attempting to drain as much of the water from the caves so the team could instead wade through the cave instead of the more life-threatening option to dive.

On Thursday, rescue official with Thailand’s interior ministry Poonsak Woongsatngiem told reporters as the boys don’t know how to swim, walking is an option they are considering.

“We (are) target(ing) the water in the third chamber to reduce to the point that no diving equipment is needed, like to the waistline, so no one can wear just life jackets and walk out,” news.com.au reported he said.

If the necessary amount of water is drained successfully, the soccer team would have a further 2.5km to walk after making their way through the third chamber.

It has been reported the maximum water depth they would encounter would be about six metres.

However, time is running out with The Guardian reporting oxygen levels in the cave are depleting due to the number of rescue workers in the cave.

A 5km-long cable is now reportedly being worked into the cave to the boys as a way to supply them with more air.

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