He is one of only two people to have been awarded Bronze, Silver and Gold medals by the Royal Humane society for his efforts. In addition to Tham Luang, John has been involved in a number of other search, rescue, and recovery incidents around the world and has been awarded the George Medal for bravery. Problem solving and ‘out of the box’ thinking have been pivotal to his success. Volanthen has designed and built diving equipment for 20 years, adapting units commercially available, and building other equipment to meet the unique requirements of individual caves. In 2004, Volanthen and Stanton set a British record for greatest depth achieved in a British cave, cave diving 76 meters (249 feet) at Wookey Hole in Somerset. Additionally, in 2011, Volanthen, set a world record for longest cave penetration dive, over 10 kilometers in the Pozo Azul cave system in northern Spain, involving a multi-day operation. Exclusively represented by Leading Authorities speakers bureau, Volanthen takes his audiences on an unforgettable journey deep into the Tham Luang caves of Thailand as he shares lessons that are key to performing in high-pressure situations and reveals how those principles can be applied by any organization working toward its goals.
A video of Volanthen and Stanton making initial contact with the team has since gone viral globally. They then planned and executed their successful rescue, leading the team two-and-a-half kilometers through the flooded caves. Volanthen and Stanton attended the Tham Luang incident in Thailand, where the duo were able to locate the missing children - something not even special forces were able to do.
Volanthen has been involved in exploring and mapping caves throughout the world, often with dive partner Rick Stanton. In 2018, he played a key role in the Tham Luang Thailand cave rescue and was named one of TIME magazine’s “Heroes of the Year.” The courageous mission was chronicled in the National Geographic documentary The Rescue, as well as the book Thirteen Lessons That Saved Thirteen Lives: The Thai Cave Rescue and the critically acclaimed Hollywood film, Thirteen Lives, in which Volanthen is played by Colin Farrell. He began caving at the age of 14 and has been at the forefront of cave exploration since. In the coming days, they will be reached by some doctors who will perform checks to establish their conditions and treat any injuries.John Volanthen is a world record-holding British cave diver who has been involved in cave exploration and rescue for more than two decades. Should the authorities decide to wait, the 13 survivors would remain in the caves for months and continued supplies of food and assistance would be needed. However, experts warn that passing inexperienced divers through dangerous zero-visibility muddy corridors would be a very risky operation. If rescuers want to take the children out before then, they will have to learn some basic diving skills. A boy answers: "Oh, see you tomorrow".ĭuring the rainy season, which lasts until September or October, the Tham Luang caves are regularly flooded.
The divers tell them they have to wait, but they reassure the soccer team that other people will come back. The video of the first contact portrays the boys sitting on a ledge above the water, while they respond to rescuers complaining of hunger they ask how long they've been underground and if they can leave. However, the young people had moved away about 350 meters, as it was now submerged. Rescue teams hoped to find the boys on a raised overhang called "Pattaya Beach". They took advantage of a short window of good weather to advance underground, while the water level fell slowly and steadily, thanks to the continuous work of hydraulic pumps. The enormous effort of the rescuers was hindered for days by heavy rains that flooded the caves, blocking access to where they hoped to find the group alive. Rescuers include Thai marine divers, three British experts and US military personnel. More than 1,000 people have been involved, including teams from China, Myanmar, Laos and Australia. Last night, the governor of Chiang Rai Province announced that rescuers had found the football team (photo), at the end a miraculous rescue operation lasting nine days. This is what the Thai army says, while the attention of the rescuers has moved on to the difficult task of evacuating the group from the complex underground system, while waiting for the waters that have flooded it to retreat. Chiang Rai (AsiaNews / Agencies) - The twelve boys and their coach trapped in the Tham Luang caveshave been found alive and will receive food for four months and will be trained in diving, before being returned to their families.