A man who oversaw the rescue of 12 boys and their football coach from a flooded cave in Northern Thailand in 2018 has died of cancer.
Narongsak Osottanakorn, 58, died on Wednesday, the BBC reported. He is survived by his wife and two daughters.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Thai cave survivor, Duangphet Phromthep, found dead.
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Narongsak is known as the “Wild Boar Governor” in Thailand, named after the football team he helped save.
This week marks the fifth anniversary of the cave rescue.
Narongsak’s death comes four months after Duangphet Phromthep, the Wild Boars’ 17-year-old captain, died in the UK.
Phromthep and his team were trapped in the Tham Luang cave for 18 days in 2018.
Narongsak was the governor of the Chiang Rai province in northern Thailand, where the cave is located.
He was the public face of the mission, holding daily briefings while coordinating multiple nation’s teams to save the boys and their coach.
Two of the cave survivors stopped their football practice to offer prayers when news of Narongsak’s death broke.
“Thank you for saving the lives of all 13 of us,” the teen said in a video later shared on Facebook. “May your soul rest in a better place.”
“We will always remember his goodness forever,” one person wrote on Twitter.
Another user praised him for displaying “leadership in a critical moment”.
Battling cancer for five years
Narongsak had been battling cancer for five years, but made a public appearance at his daughter’s wedding six days before his death.
A funeral will be held in a Bangkok temple.
Narongsak held his position of governor of Chiang Rai for 15 months. He has served multiple roles in the public service.
Most recently, Narongsak had been serving as governor of Pathum Thani province since 2021.
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