Canadian diver Erik Brown, who helped rescue 12 young footballers and their coach from Thailand’s flooded Tham Luang cave in 2018, has died at the age of 44.
Brown was part of the international team involved in the operation in Chiang Rai after the Wild Boars football team became trapped inside the cave complex during heavy monsoon rain.
His death was announced by friends and family on September 26. The cause of death has not been publicly confirmed.
Brown, originally from British Columbia, was based on Koh Tao, Surat Thani, where he founded Hydronauts Diving.
During the Tham Luang rescue, he helped carry air cylinders and other equipment through flooded passages, laid and maintained guide ropes and supported the chain of divers working to bring the trapped group out.
Brown later recorded spending 63 hours inside the cave over nine days and seven missions.
The Wild Boars team entered the Tham Luang Nang Non cave complex on June 23, 2018. Rising floodwaters trapped the 12 boys and their coach deep underground before British divers found them alive nine days later.
All 13 were eventually brought out during a three-day rescue operation from July 8 to 10, drawing worldwide attention.
Brown’s role in the mission was later recognised by Canada, which awarded him the Medal of Bravery in 2019.
The Governor General of Canada said Brown repeatedly put his life at risk while navigating around three kilometres through strong currents, narrow passages and other obstacles to maintain a vital route through the flooded cave.
Thailand also recognised Brown for his contribution to the rescue. In 2020, he and fellow Koh Tao-based diver Ivan Karadzic received royal decorations for their roles in the operation.
Brown had worked in technical diving for years before the Tham Luang rescue, including in Australia and Egypt, before establishing his diving business on Koh Tao.
Tributes from friends and members of the diving community have followed news of his death.
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