A teenage boy, who was rescued from a cave in Thailand three years ago, was found unconscious in his dormitory at a football academy in the United Kingdom and passed away several days later.
The 17-year-old, known as “dom” or Duangpetch Promthep, had been attending the football academy in Leicestershire since last year.
Although the cause of his death is still unknown, the local police do not suspect foul play, according to the BBC.
Promthep was one of the 12 boys trapped in a cave in Chiang Rai province for over two weeks in 2018 before being rescued in an international recovery mission that garnered worldwide attention.
After his mother announced his death, an outpouring of support from his loved ones followed, including those who were rescued with him.
One of his fellow survivors, Prachak Sutham, wrote that he always believed Promthep would play for the national team, and expressed his sadness at losing his friend.
“You told me to wait and see you play for the national team, I always believe that you would do it,” Prachak Sutham, one of the others rescued, wrote.
“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,” he said.
“Sleep well, my dear friend. We will always have 13 of us together.”
The British Ambassador to Thailand, Mark Gooding, also expressed his condolences to Promthep’s family and friends, referring to him as the captain of the Wild Boars football team from the 2018 Tham Luang cave incident.
“I am saddened to hear that Dom Duangpetch Phromthep, captain of the Wild Boars football team from the 2018 Tham Luang cave incident, has died in the UK. My condolences to Dom’s family and friends,” he said.
ผมเสียใจที่ได้ยินข่าวว่าดอม ดวงเพชร พรมเทพ กัปตันทีมฟุตบอลหมูป่าจากเหตุการณ์ถ้ำหลวงเมื่อปี 2561 เสียชีวิตในสหราชอาณาจักร ผมขอแสดงความเสียใจกับครอบครัวและเพื่อน ๆ ของดอม#13หมูป่า https://t.co/2bk5rxRuaN
— Mark Gooding (@markgooding) February 15, 2023
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