Inquest opens into UK death of teenage football captain rescued from Thai cave

An inquest has been opened and adjourned into the death in the UK of one of the 12 boys rescued from a Thai cave in 2018.

Duangphet Phromthep, 17, gained worldwide fame as the captain of the football team which got into trouble while exploring the caves in Chiang Rai province.

The boys, then aged 11-16, and their 25-year-old coach, were trapped for 18 days before they were found following an international search and rescue effort, involving around 10,000 people.

Last year, Duangphet, known as Dom, moved to the UK after gaining a football scholarship at Brooke House College in Leicestershire.

He died at Kettering General Hospital on 14 February, after paramedics were called to the Market Harborough school on 12 February.

The circumstances of his death have not been formally released.

Leicestershire Police said last week that the death was not believed to be suspicious.

Opening the inquest, Professor Catherine Mason, senior coroner for Leicester City and South Leicestershire, said that a provisional cause of death had been identified.

However, she did not disclose it during the short hearing, at Leicester Coroner’s Court on Wednesday.

She said: “A cause of death has been provided. The cause of death is provisional until the formal hearing.

“Investigations and inquiries are continuing and I’m not in a position to proceed.”

A review hearing will take place on 6 July, Professor Mason added.

Dom was 13 when his team – the Wild Boars – and their coach were trapped by rising floodwaters while exploring the Tham Luang Nang Non cave system in June 2018.

A rescue effort involving Thai and foreign divers was launched to save the group who were underground around 2km (1.2 miles) into the cave.

After 18 days, the team was saved in a huge rescue operation involving specialist divers and Thai Navy SEALs.

They were sedated before being taken out of the cave one at a time.

The mission was followed across the globe, and their story has since been turned into books and a Netflix series.

Following Dom’s death, his mother has informed the Wat Phra That Doi Wao temple in his hometown in northern Thailand of the news.

In a post on Facebook, the temple wrote: “May Dom’s soul rest in peace.”

In a statement, Ian Smith, principal at the college, said: “Brooke House College is devastated to confirm the passing of our student, Duangphet Phromthep, known as Dom, yesterday in hospital.

“This event has left our college community deeply saddened and shaken.

“We unite in grief with all of Dom’s family, friends, former teammates and those involved in all parts of his life, as well as everyone affected in any way by this loss in Thailand and throughout the college’s global family.

Be the first to get Breaking News

Install the Sky News app for free

“The college is liaising with statutory authorities and the Royal Thai Embassy in London, and dedicating all resources to assist our student body, as they as young people process Dom’s passing.”

Non-profit organisation the Zico Foundation, which helped Dom secure a scholarship in England, posted a message to “express our condolences”.

Read Entire Article