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Thailand
AsiaSoutheast Asia

Thai royal honour for Australians Richard Harris, Craig Challen who helped rescue cave boys

  • The duo were given the award at a ceremony presided over by Thai Prime Minister Prayuth
  • The doctors played key roles in rescuing members of the Wild Boars soccer team from the cave complex in Chiang Rai province in 2018

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Australian doctors Richard Harris and Craig Challen (R). Photo:EPA-EFE
Associated Press
Two Australian doctors were given royal honours in Thailand on Friday for helping rescue a boys soccer team from a flooded cave and said they are looking forward to a reunion with the youngsters they helped save.
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Richard Harris and Craig Challen were given the award at a ceremony presided over by Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha. Four Australian officials involved with the rescue effort were also honoured.

Both highly skilled divers, the doctors played key roles in rescuing members of the Wild Boars soccer team and their coach from the cave complex in Chiang Rai province last July.

They said before the award ceremony they were looking forward to going to the northern province Monday to see how the boys are faring.

“That’s really exciting for us to go and see them and make sure they’re well and see how they’re doing after the rescue,” Harris said. “Hopefully we will find them in good shape.”

A mixed team of Thais and expert divers from a number of countries combined in the dramatic search and rescue mission carried out after the team went missing when heavy rain flooded the Tham Luang cave complex.

The drama, which lasted 18 days, gripped the attention of the world.

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