1
00:00:21,729 --> 00:00:25,733
[ATMOSPHERIC MUSIC]
2
00:01:08,401 --> 00:01:10,403
- [VERN] We need sand bag.
- [RESCUER] Uh-huh.
3
00:01:10,444 --> 00:01:13,823
[VERN] To stop water come in.
And we need generator.
4
00:01:13,864 --> 00:01:16,367
- [SPEAKING THAI]
- [VERN] To pump water out.
5
00:01:16,409 --> 00:01:19,579
- [SPEAKING THAI]
- [VERN] We need to do it quick.
6
00:01:19,620 --> 00:01:24,292
If they've gone this way,
no, they die already.
7
00:01:27,878 --> 00:01:31,382
[VERN] They know
what to do, yeah?
8
00:01:32,383 --> 00:01:34,635
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
9
00:01:48,357 --> 00:01:52,445
[TV REPORTER] The boys, aged
between 11 and 16 years old,
10
00:01:52,486 --> 00:01:55,031
are all members of
a Thai soccer team.
11
00:01:55,156 --> 00:01:56,991
They became stranded
in the dark tunnels
12
00:01:57,033 --> 00:01:59,535
after a sudden and continuous
downpour blocked all exits.
13
00:02:03,497 --> 00:02:05,666
[TV REPORTER] This rain
is gonna get worse and worse
14
00:02:05,708 --> 00:02:07,960
as the months go by.
Four months of monsoon.
15
00:02:08,002 --> 00:02:09,795
It'll flood out
that cave system,
16
00:02:09,837 --> 00:02:11,672
so there will be no hope of
getting out
17
00:02:11,714 --> 00:02:14,467
if they don't get them out
very soon.
18
00:02:14,508 --> 00:02:17,345
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
19
00:02:48,626 --> 00:02:51,337
[TV REPORTER] Before they
went into the cave complex,
20
00:02:51,379 --> 00:02:53,631
they were planning
to celebrate a birthday party
21
00:02:53,673 --> 00:02:56,133
and that's what the boys
were doing when they found,
22
00:02:56,133 --> 00:02:58,928
suddenly, it was raining
heavily outside the cave
23
00:02:58,969 --> 00:03:02,348
and the water level
inside started increasing.
24
00:03:03,015 --> 00:03:06,936
- [WATER BURBLING]
- [DRAMATIC MUSIC]
25
00:03:22,076 --> 00:03:25,746
[EERIE MUSIC]
26
00:03:28,999 --> 00:03:34,588
[LOUD DRAMATIC MUSIC]
27
00:05:12,812 --> 00:05:14,939
[VERN] I've been involved
very heavily
28
00:05:14,980 --> 00:05:17,942
with the exploration
of the cave.
29
00:05:17,983 --> 00:05:21,195
That's how I became
known as, you know,
30
00:05:21,237 --> 00:05:23,405
locally, the crazy
farang caver.
31
00:05:23,948 --> 00:05:24,990
This is the junction.
32
00:05:25,032 --> 00:05:26,575
[VERN] When I first
started exploring
33
00:05:26,617 --> 00:05:30,246
the Tham Luang cave system,
it was just over 6.5km long.
34
00:05:30,287 --> 00:05:33,249
Over the years,
we'd extended it to 10km.
35
00:05:33,290 --> 00:05:38,546
And today, it's the fourth
longest cave system in Thailand.
36
00:05:38,587 --> 00:05:42,007
Tham Luang is made up
of three main passages.
37
00:05:42,049 --> 00:05:45,469
One runs from the entrance
to Sam Yaek,
38
00:05:45,511 --> 00:05:46,554
known as the T-Junction.
39
00:05:46,595 --> 00:05:48,973
Water had come in
from the right-hand branch,
40
00:05:49,014 --> 00:05:50,891
and it blocked their route out.
41
00:05:51,225 --> 00:05:56,564
So the boys weren't actually
missing, they were trapped.
42
00:06:22,506 --> 00:06:26,176
[VERN] The Navy SEALs,
with respect, you know,
43
00:06:26,176 --> 00:06:28,804
they're a strong,
disciplined outfit,
44
00:06:28,888 --> 00:06:30,973
but cave diving
needs specific skills
45
00:06:31,015 --> 00:06:34,685
and specific types of equipment.
46
00:06:45,738 --> 00:06:47,907
[VERN] Went to what
we call the War Room.
47
00:06:47,948 --> 00:06:53,203
I waited for Governor Narongsak
and in my normal, blunt way,
48
00:06:53,245 --> 00:06:57,166
said to him, "Sir, you have
one chance at this rescue.”
49
00:06:57,207 --> 00:07:01,503
I told them that we need
expert cave divers out here.
50
00:07:02,755 --> 00:07:04,882
[WEERASAK] He showed this note
51
00:07:04,924 --> 00:07:06,884
to the Minister of Interior
52
00:07:07,593 --> 00:07:12,348
saying, "These are the best
cave divers in the world."
53
00:07:25,361 --> 00:07:29,698
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
54
00:07:35,829 --> 00:07:38,624
[JOHN] Get the spy on,
Mr. Stanton.
55
00:07:38,666 --> 00:07:40,834
[DRAMATIC MUSIC CONTINUES]
56
00:07:40,876 --> 00:07:46,924
- Yep, how many?
- Two. And quite a thick one.
57
00:07:48,634 --> 00:07:51,303
[JOHN] That's four quid.
58
00:07:52,554 --> 00:07:55,933
[WATER BURBLING GENTLY]
59
00:07:58,644 --> 00:08:03,273
[RICK] When I see a dark space
in a cave, it fascinates me.
60
00:08:03,315 --> 00:08:05,943
It's like,
"I wonder what's there?"
61
00:08:05,985 --> 00:08:09,154
For most people
it's an alien environment.
62
00:08:09,196 --> 00:08:12,950
It's dark.
It could be claustrophobic.
63
00:08:12,992 --> 00:08:14,868
To most people
that would be a disaster
64
00:08:14,910 --> 00:08:19,999
but this is the strange world
that I enjoy,
65
00:08:20,040 --> 00:08:22,334
caving, cave diving.
66
00:08:22,376 --> 00:08:24,461
[JOHN] You can look at a cave
in two ways.
67
00:08:24,503 --> 00:08:27,131
You could say, "I'm under
hundreds of feet
68
00:08:27,172 --> 00:08:30,009
"and tons and tons of rock,
my life's in danger"
69
00:08:30,050 --> 00:08:34,888
or you can say "My world is
this small passage.
70
00:08:34,930 --> 00:08:37,057
"Actually it's okay."
71
00:08:37,099 --> 00:08:38,726
I think this was
just a cunning ploy.
72
00:08:38,767 --> 00:08:40,102
[CONNOR]
For people of my generation
73
00:08:40,144 --> 00:08:41,812
in the cave diving world,
Rick and John,
74
00:08:41,854 --> 00:08:46,400
they're like the figureheads,
the idols to us.
75
00:08:47,234 --> 00:08:48,569
[RICHARD]
The first time I dived with Rick
76
00:08:48,610 --> 00:08:51,697
was in this cave in New Zealand
called the Pearse Resurgence,
77
00:08:51,739 --> 00:08:54,533
which is an extraordinarily
intimidating place.
78
00:08:54,575 --> 00:08:56,785
It's really deep.
It's freezing cold.
79
00:08:56,827 --> 00:08:58,829
It's black,
like it soaks up your light.
80
00:08:58,871 --> 00:09:01,248
I'd heard about the famous
Rick Stanton of course,
81
00:09:01,290 --> 00:09:03,292
but he turns up
with this dry suit
82
00:09:03,333 --> 00:09:05,044
that looks like
it's 50 years old
83
00:09:05,085 --> 00:09:06,670
and he's got
this home-made harness
84
00:09:06,712 --> 00:09:09,798
with a big lump of lead
between his shoulder blades
85
00:09:09,840 --> 00:09:12,676
that's sort of sticky-taped on.
86
00:09:12,718 --> 00:09:15,179
And he's got a home-made
sidemount rebreather.
87
00:09:15,220 --> 00:09:19,016
I mean, both those words
are terrifying.
88
00:09:20,059 --> 00:09:20,934
[MACHINE WHIRRING]
89
00:09:20,976 --> 00:09:23,896
[RICK] The sidemount rebreather
was made from scratch
90
00:09:23,937 --> 00:09:26,982
because there wasn't
such a thing available.
91
00:09:27,024 --> 00:09:29,610
All the components
were made by me
92
00:09:29,651 --> 00:09:32,154
on a lathe or a mill.
93
00:09:34,239 --> 00:09:37,326
[RICHARD] So Rick,
using this extraordinary bit
94
00:09:37,367 --> 00:09:38,160
of home-made kit,
95
00:09:38,202 --> 00:09:44,458
jumped in the cave and casually
swims down to a new record.
96
00:09:45,292 --> 00:09:46,877
And we're all just going,
"Far out.
97
00:09:46,919 --> 00:09:49,880
"There's no way
I will ever be like that guy.”
98
00:09:49,922 --> 00:09:52,758
[WATER SPLASHING]
99
00:09:53,300 --> 00:09:56,053
[RICK] John and I
have been involved
100
00:09:56,095 --> 00:10:00,265
in some very significant
caving events
101
00:10:00,307 --> 00:10:03,227
which take you
right to the edge.
102
00:10:03,268 --> 00:10:09,733
And just going to those places,
you can't fail to have a bond.
103
00:10:09,775 --> 00:10:11,401
[WAVES CRASHING ON SHORE]
104
00:10:11,443 --> 00:10:14,530
John's one of these people
that's done lots of activities
105
00:10:14,571 --> 00:10:19,618
and does them all with
a huge degree of success.
106
00:10:19,660 --> 00:10:20,828
First it was marathons,
107
00:10:20,869 --> 00:10:23,789
then he got on
to ultra-marathons.
108
00:10:23,831 --> 00:10:28,919
Very competent climber,
really good kayaker.
109
00:10:29,670 --> 00:10:31,505
[PRODUCER] Doing all
these dangerous things,
110
00:10:31,547 --> 00:10:34,967
has that made relationships
difficult for you?
111
00:10:35,008 --> 00:10:36,009
[RICK] Well, I wouldn't...
112
00:10:36,051 --> 00:10:38,804
Just because an activity
is seen as dangerous,
113
00:10:38,846 --> 00:10:41,932
doesn't mean to say that
you do it in a dangerous manner.
114
00:10:41,974 --> 00:10:46,436
But to answer your question,
probably yes.
115
00:10:46,478 --> 00:10:48,188
[LAUGHS]
116
00:10:48,981 --> 00:10:51,525
[GENTLE MUSIC]
117
00:11:39,865 --> 00:11:43,535
[LAUGHS]
Just too well.
118
00:11:43,577 --> 00:11:46,997
I don't know how
to explain this. Mm.
119
00:11:47,039 --> 00:11:49,750
[PRODUCER]
Did you fall in love?
120
00:11:49,791 --> 00:11:51,585
Yes.
121
00:12:27,913 --> 00:12:29,915
[RICK]
Amp called me and she said,
122
00:12:29,957 --> 00:12:31,291
"Have you heard,
123
00:12:31,708 --> 00:12:34,670
"there's a football team
trapped in a cave."
124
00:12:45,222 --> 00:12:48,225
[RICK] I was thinking, "This has
got our name all over it."
125
00:12:48,350 --> 00:12:51,687
[JOHN] We realised that we had
a contact on the ground.
126
00:12:51,728 --> 00:12:55,524
A British guy, Vern Unsworth,
he knew the cave very well.
127
00:12:55,732 --> 00:12:58,110
[RICK] Vernon had got
the critical note
128
00:12:58,151 --> 00:13:01,571
to the Thai Minister
of Tourism and Sport.
129
00:13:01,571 --> 00:13:04,157
Vernon rang and said,
"You're coming to Thailand
130
00:13:04,157 --> 00:13:06,368
"and you're on the 9.30 flight
that night."
131
00:13:06,410 --> 00:13:08,537
[JOHN]
They flew us business class,
132
00:13:08,537 --> 00:13:10,372
which was quite an experience.
133
00:13:10,414 --> 00:13:12,332
[LAUGHS]
I quite liked that.
134
00:13:12,833 --> 00:13:15,544
[RICK] That was great,
because we are volunteers,
135
00:13:15,585 --> 00:13:17,504
we don't get paid.
136
00:13:17,629 --> 00:13:20,882
[JOHN] We arrived
in Chiang Rai airport.
137
00:13:21,133 --> 00:13:22,884
[RICK] There was
a big sign up that said,
138
00:13:22,926 --> 00:13:25,762
"Welcome to the world's
best cave divers"
139
00:13:26,305 --> 00:13:28,390
and we were marched out
to this sign
140
00:13:28,432 --> 00:13:30,642
and had to pose in front of it.
141
00:13:30,684 --> 00:13:33,520
All very embarrassing.
142
00:13:39,776 --> 00:13:41,236
[HONKING]
143
00:13:41,278 --> 00:13:43,322
When we arrived
at the cave site,
144
00:13:43,363 --> 00:13:46,116
there was complete chaos.
145
00:13:47,451 --> 00:13:49,328
I've had a full career
in the fire service,
146
00:13:49,328 --> 00:13:52,372
I've been to big incidents,
I've seen chaos, but not,
147
00:13:52,372 --> 00:13:54,333
not at this scale.
148
00:13:56,460 --> 00:13:58,712
We were followed around
by press cameras.
149
00:13:58,754 --> 00:14:01,131
There were rescue people
everywhere.
150
00:14:01,173 --> 00:14:04,551
Where's the people who are
supposed to be meeting us?
151
00:14:04,593 --> 00:14:07,054
[JOHN] Somehow we managed
to find Vern.
152
00:14:07,095 --> 00:14:10,807
He said they'd seen the cave
progressively flood
153
00:14:10,807 --> 00:14:12,017
in the last three days.
154
00:14:12,351 --> 00:14:15,729
[VERN] Just too much flow.
It was a difficult time.
155
00:14:16,063 --> 00:14:17,606
Some people were
thinking, you know,
156
00:14:17,606 --> 00:14:21,401
"Are the kids still alive?"
"Where can they be?
157
00:14:21,735 --> 00:14:23,820
[RICK] We decided
we wanted to go in
158
00:14:23,862 --> 00:14:27,449
and see as much as possible
before it flooded further.
159
00:14:27,449 --> 00:14:29,951
As we walked
in the entrance chamber,
160
00:14:29,951 --> 00:14:31,828
which was a huge chamber,
161
00:14:31,828 --> 00:14:34,539
there were
electric lights blazing,
162
00:14:34,539 --> 00:14:36,249
hoses and pumps
and telephone wires.
163
00:14:36,249 --> 00:14:39,544
[JOHN] Although the Governor
was in charge of the incident,
164
00:14:39,544 --> 00:14:42,798
he had devolved all
responsibility for the diving
165
00:14:42,839 --> 00:14:44,841
to the Navy SEALs
and they were very clear
166
00:14:44,841 --> 00:14:46,927
that they wouldn't let us
go in the water.
167
00:14:46,968 --> 00:14:48,887
Our area of expertise
is different.
168
00:14:48,929 --> 00:14:52,724
[RUENGRIT] At that point,
it's really not safe to go in.
169
00:14:52,766 --> 00:14:55,769
The UK team still insist.
170
00:14:55,811 --> 00:14:58,063
It got quite heated.
171
00:14:58,397 --> 00:15:01,316
[JOHN] You understand, there
are 13 children in the cave.
172
00:15:01,691 --> 00:15:03,652
[VERN]
I don't care what you say.
173
00:15:03,693 --> 00:15:06,738
The argument went
all the way up top.
174
00:15:07,072 --> 00:15:09,825
He actually told the UK guy,
"If you die in there,
175
00:15:09,866 --> 00:15:12,536
don't expect us
to go fetch your body."
176
00:15:13,286 --> 00:15:16,039
[JOHN] If you are
the Thai Navy SEALs
177
00:15:16,081 --> 00:15:19,543
and suddenly two scruffy looking
middle-aged men turn up,
178
00:15:19,543 --> 00:15:25,382
I can see how that really is
a bad start to a relationship.
179
00:15:25,882 --> 00:15:29,219
[THUNDER
AND HEAVY PATTER OF RAIN]
180
00:15:29,261 --> 00:15:31,346
When we got out,
it really was raining,
181
00:15:31,388 --> 00:15:34,307
absolute monsoon stair rods.
182
00:15:34,599 --> 00:15:36,393
We were taken back to the hotel
183
00:15:36,435 --> 00:15:38,645
in the back
of an open pickup,
184
00:15:38,687 --> 00:15:40,605
literally cowering
behind the cab
185
00:15:40,647 --> 00:15:42,607
to try and get out of the rain.
186
00:15:43,024 --> 00:15:46,445
[RICK] John and I had
to share a double bed.
187
00:15:46,570 --> 00:15:51,908
[JOHN] We, um...
we do top and tail.
188
00:15:53,118 --> 00:15:55,912
[HEAVY PATTER OF RAIN]
189
00:16:00,917 --> 00:16:03,462
[RICK] So the next morning,
John and I set off
190
00:16:03,503 --> 00:16:06,423
from the entrance chamber
with all our equipment,
191
00:16:06,465 --> 00:16:08,633
our cylinders on our harness.
192
00:16:08,675 --> 00:16:11,636
Nobody came in
the cave with us.
193
00:16:14,764 --> 00:16:16,766
Only 200m from the entrance,
194
00:16:16,808 --> 00:16:20,896
water met the rock
and it was a proper sump dive.
195
00:16:20,937 --> 00:16:25,442
- [WATER SPLASHING]
- [DRAMATIC MUSIC]
196
00:16:25,734 --> 00:16:28,737
From the entrance chamber
now to the second
197
00:16:28,778 --> 00:16:33,033
and third chamber
was a river, a raging river.
198
00:16:33,366 --> 00:16:38,371
- [WATER SPLASHING AND BURBLING]
- [EERIE MUSIC]
199
00:16:47,964 --> 00:16:51,676
[JOHN] The term I would use
is white water caving.
200
00:16:58,683 --> 00:17:00,769
Very poor visibility,
201
00:17:00,810 --> 00:17:04,397
really brown,
really chocolaty brown.
202
00:17:04,439 --> 00:17:06,775
There's a ton
of man-made hazards as well.
203
00:17:06,816 --> 00:17:12,072
Telephone wire, cables,
all sorts of things.
204
00:17:13,865 --> 00:17:16,952
[DRAMATIC MUSIC CONTINUES]
205
00:17:34,636 --> 00:17:39,391
We surfaced in what
became known as Chamber 3.
206
00:17:44,437 --> 00:17:47,983
[FRANTIC VOICES]
207
00:17:48,900 --> 00:17:52,779
[JOHN] We thought we'd found
four of the football team.
208
00:18:02,414 --> 00:18:04,541
[JOHN]
They were pump workers.
209
00:18:04,583 --> 00:18:06,001
They'd been asleep
on the sand bank,
210
00:18:06,042 --> 00:18:10,338
missed the evacuation
and got flooded into the cave,
211
00:18:10,380 --> 00:18:13,508
and nobody knew
they were missing.
212
00:18:13,550 --> 00:18:17,012
We didn't know if that chamber
was gonna flood completely
213
00:18:17,053 --> 00:18:18,179
in hours or minutes.
214
00:18:18,221 --> 00:18:22,225
We needed to dive
these four guys out immediately.
215
00:18:25,937 --> 00:18:27,147
[RICK] They were terrified,
216
00:18:27,147 --> 00:18:30,066
but they didn't have
another option.
217
00:18:31,484 --> 00:18:34,613
We just gave them a regulator
from one of the cylinders
218
00:18:34,654 --> 00:18:37,115
that was still attached to us.
219
00:18:42,287 --> 00:18:44,205
[JOHN] So we have to keep
them very close to us,
220
00:18:44,247 --> 00:18:46,791
or the regulator in their mouth
is gonna be pulled out
221
00:18:46,791 --> 00:18:49,502
and they're not gonna
be able to breathe.
222
00:18:50,587 --> 00:18:53,423
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
223
00:18:53,840 --> 00:18:56,217
[RICK]
It's highly disorientating,
224
00:18:56,259 --> 00:19:00,513
being led, basically blind,
underwater.
225
00:19:00,555 --> 00:19:02,641
It was quite brutal.
They were banging their heads.
226
00:19:02,682 --> 00:19:05,518
We were moving them around,
trying to find the right hole
227
00:19:05,560 --> 00:19:07,479
for them to go through.
228
00:19:07,520 --> 00:19:10,857
- [WATER BURBLING]
- [DRAMATIC MUSIC]
229
00:19:11,691 --> 00:19:13,860
All of the pump workers
reacted the same.
230
00:19:13,902 --> 00:19:16,446
The second they thought
they were under air space,
231
00:19:16,488 --> 00:19:19,991
they kind of bolted up
without any thought.
232
00:19:21,326 --> 00:19:23,995
[SPLUTTERING]
233
00:19:40,136 --> 00:19:43,765
[JOHN] I described it as
an underwater wrestling match.
234
00:19:44,015 --> 00:19:47,686
[FAST-PACED EERIE MUSIC]
235
00:19:51,731 --> 00:19:53,566
After getting
the pump workers out,
236
00:19:53,608 --> 00:19:56,152
we didn't turn round
and go back in the cave.
237
00:19:56,152 --> 00:19:58,530
It was too dangerous.
238
00:19:59,030 --> 00:20:01,533
[RICK] The four water workers,
they were under water
239
00:20:01,574 --> 00:20:03,993
for only 30, 40 seconds,
240
00:20:04,035 --> 00:20:07,163
but they still panicked
and they were adults.
241
00:20:07,163 --> 00:20:09,958
Now, we were talking
about a group of children.
242
00:20:09,999 --> 00:20:13,920
We didn't think it was possible
for us to dive the children out.
243
00:20:13,962 --> 00:20:18,633
Even if they were alive,
it can't be done.
244
00:20:18,675 --> 00:20:23,054
[JOHN] Now what? What the hell
are we gonna do now?
245
00:20:23,346 --> 00:20:27,016
[MUSIC BUILDS]
246
00:20:29,436 --> 00:20:33,773
[CHANTING]
247
00:20:36,276 --> 00:20:38,820
[SVASTI] The Thais
were always praying
248
00:20:38,862 --> 00:20:40,905
for success in the mission.
249
00:20:40,947 --> 00:20:43,491
They believed that success
could only come
250
00:20:43,533 --> 00:20:49,581
if they had the permission
from the guardian spirit.
251
00:20:49,664 --> 00:20:51,499
I know, as soon as I got there,
252
00:20:51,541 --> 00:20:54,627
I wanted to pay respects
to those shrines.
253
00:22:04,572 --> 00:22:06,699
[TV REPORTER] It has been
seven days since this team
254
00:22:06,741 --> 00:22:08,743
of 12 Thai boys
and their football coach
255
00:22:08,785 --> 00:22:10,954
has been missing
in this vast cave complex.
256
00:22:11,079 --> 00:22:13,414
[TV REPORTER] Water levels
in the cave have been rising,
257
00:22:13,456 --> 00:22:16,084
going up overnight
by 6 inches every hour.
258
00:22:16,125 --> 00:22:17,460
[TV REPORTER]
High water levels
259
00:22:17,502 --> 00:22:19,087
have made the search
very challenging
260
00:22:19,128 --> 00:22:23,132
with divers using huge pumps
to reduce some of that water.
261
00:22:44,445 --> 00:22:46,322
[TV REPORTER] The volunteers
have been travelling
262
00:22:46,364 --> 00:22:48,992
to Northern Thailand to help
with the rescue operation.
263
00:22:48,992 --> 00:22:51,578
[TV REPORTER] This has become
a worldwide rescue effort.
264
00:22:51,578 --> 00:22:53,413
[TV REPORTER] Volunteers
from Europe, Australia,
265
00:22:53,454 --> 00:22:55,248
Asia and the US.
266
00:23:25,737 --> 00:23:30,700
[SAMAN] Today I'm training
in the Khao Yai National Park.
267
00:23:52,096 --> 00:23:54,182
[JOHN] We need gas
really quick...
268
00:23:54,223 --> 00:23:56,059
[RICK] 1,000 litres.
269
00:23:59,729 --> 00:24:02,815
[RICK] That evening,
we met the American military
270
00:24:02,857 --> 00:24:05,985
who had deployed from Japan.
271
00:24:06,235 --> 00:24:09,781
[DEREK] Rick and John were
very laid back, you know?
272
00:24:09,822 --> 00:24:11,157
They were definitely not
273
00:24:11,199 --> 00:24:13,326
what you're used to seeing
in the military,
274
00:24:13,576 --> 00:24:16,621
shorts and flip-flops
and T-shirts.
275
00:24:17,163 --> 00:24:18,831
But as I started
speaking with them,
276
00:24:18,873 --> 00:24:22,043
I realised that they were
very highly skilled.
277
00:24:22,085 --> 00:24:24,045
I had gone in myself
to Chamber 3,
278
00:24:24,087 --> 00:24:25,463
where I had to do
a couple of short dives,
279
00:24:25,505 --> 00:24:29,175
but I was thinking to myself,
"This is absolutely horrible."
280
00:24:29,217 --> 00:24:31,344
I remember John
kind of laughed at me
281
00:24:31,386 --> 00:24:33,554
because he knew
the next question I had,
282
00:24:33,596 --> 00:24:36,224
"Why would someone
do this for fun?"
283
00:24:36,265 --> 00:24:37,392
[LAUGHS]
284
00:24:37,809 --> 00:24:40,520
[JOHN] Cave diving
for me is relaxing.
285
00:24:40,561 --> 00:24:44,732
Nobody tells you what to do,
your time is your own.
286
00:24:44,774 --> 00:24:47,026
It's very liberating,
but having said that,
287
00:24:47,068 --> 00:24:49,904
most of the time it is jumping
into a muddy hole,
288
00:24:49,946 --> 00:24:51,739
that's exactly right.
289
00:24:52,281 --> 00:24:55,243
[EERIE MUSIC]
290
00:25:00,373 --> 00:25:05,253
[RICK] Caving is clearly about
the exploration side of it.
291
00:25:05,294 --> 00:25:06,754
[EERIE MUSIC CONTINUES]
292
00:25:06,796 --> 00:25:09,424
Some of the dives we do,
you could be hours in,
293
00:25:09,465 --> 00:25:12,760
totally reliant
on artificial light,
294
00:25:12,802 --> 00:25:14,971
artificial heating.
295
00:25:15,013 --> 00:25:17,223
It's like being in space.
296
00:25:17,265 --> 00:25:21,060
Probably the purest
adventure you could have.
297
00:25:21,102 --> 00:25:24,022
[EERIE MUSIC]
298
00:25:24,188 --> 00:25:26,607
It takes a peculiar type
of person
299
00:25:26,649 --> 00:25:29,485
to be a cave diving explorer.
300
00:25:33,823 --> 00:25:37,577
[RICHARD] What makes someone
want to be an explorer?
301
00:25:37,618 --> 00:25:42,999
I think it's two parts ego,
one part curiosity,
302
00:25:43,041 --> 00:25:46,127
one part um, um...
303
00:25:47,628 --> 00:25:50,423
...lack of confidence
in yourself
304
00:25:50,465 --> 00:25:53,384
and the need
to prove yourself?
305
00:25:54,510 --> 00:25:57,388
You know, maybe I was no good
at footie and cricket,
306
00:25:57,430 --> 00:26:00,683
but at least I can, you know,
cave dive quite well.
307
00:26:00,725 --> 00:26:04,312
[RICK] I think it's fair to say
all of us were not team players.
308
00:26:04,353 --> 00:26:08,274
None of us are very good
with ball skills.
309
00:26:08,316 --> 00:26:09,525
I was a loser.
310
00:26:09,525 --> 00:26:11,486
[JOHN] I'm terrible
at team sports.
311
00:26:11,527 --> 00:26:13,738
I think
"Doesn't play well with others"
312
00:26:13,780 --> 00:26:16,240
is the phrase
that you're looking for.
313
00:26:16,783 --> 00:26:20,328
[RICK] I was quiet and shy
and didn't like confrontation.
314
00:26:20,369 --> 00:26:21,496
I wasn't so sociable.
315
00:26:21,537 --> 00:26:23,664
I was bullied a bit
as a teenager, yeah,
316
00:26:23,706 --> 00:26:24,916
'cause I was a bit different.
317
00:26:24,957 --> 00:26:28,127
I've got a lazy left eye,
which, when I was younger,
318
00:26:28,169 --> 00:26:30,254
actually pointed
in the wrong direction,
319
00:26:30,296 --> 00:26:32,757
which is quite funny,
looking back on it,
320
00:26:32,882 --> 00:26:36,094
'cause it was quite a big part
of my life at the time,
321
00:26:36,135 --> 00:26:41,390
like I was quite self-conscious
about it, you know?
322
00:26:41,432 --> 00:26:44,143
Kids are mean. Huh.
323
00:26:45,436 --> 00:26:48,564
[JOHN] There's no question
that, in my younger years,
324
00:26:48,564 --> 00:26:51,651
I started off perhaps
emotionally challenged.
325
00:26:51,692 --> 00:26:53,903
[JIM] Yeah, I wasn't
the most social person.
326
00:26:53,945 --> 00:26:55,738
Bit of bullying at school
and stuff,
327
00:26:55,780 --> 00:26:58,866
but the worst people,
I've blocked out of my mind.
328
00:26:58,908 --> 00:27:04,080
But once I get underground,
that all disappears.
329
00:27:05,206 --> 00:27:10,753
[JOSH] Can't see anything,
just my bubbles. Isolated.
330
00:27:10,795 --> 00:27:14,924
This is the place
where I kind of feel comfortable
331
00:27:14,966 --> 00:27:18,636
and feel like I feel safe.
332
00:27:18,678 --> 00:27:19,512
[LAUGHS]
333
00:27:19,554 --> 00:27:22,223
[JOHN] Quiet and peace.
334
00:27:22,390 --> 00:27:26,102
Get away from everything
in normal society.
335
00:27:26,144 --> 00:27:29,397
Back to the age
of the cave man.
336
00:27:29,605 --> 00:27:32,817
[SQUELCHING]
337
00:27:36,362 --> 00:27:38,948
[JOSH] It comes back
to that kind of ability
338
00:27:38,990 --> 00:27:41,868
to expand your comfort zone,
339
00:27:41,909 --> 00:27:45,955
but probably some people's
worst nightmares.
340
00:27:50,918 --> 00:27:56,215
[RICHARD] It's about controlling
your emotions and your fear,
341
00:27:56,257 --> 00:28:00,011
because panic is death
in the cave.
342
00:28:00,052 --> 00:28:03,014
[EERIE MUSIC]
343
00:28:04,932 --> 00:28:07,602
[CRYING]
344
00:28:08,978 --> 00:28:11,606
[MAN ON TV] There is
still a reason for optimism.
345
00:28:11,647 --> 00:28:14,859
Medical experts say it is
possible to stay alive
346
00:28:14,901 --> 00:28:17,278
for this period of time
without food,
347
00:28:17,737 --> 00:28:19,530
but in an operation like this,
348
00:28:19,530 --> 00:28:21,866
every hour is important
and every hour...
349
00:28:22,116 --> 00:28:24,118
Even when it's not raining,
rescuers say
350
00:28:24,160 --> 00:28:26,913
water is continuing
to seep into the cave.
351
00:28:26,954 --> 00:28:29,207
They're up in the mountains
right now,
352
00:28:29,248 --> 00:28:31,542
trying to divert it away.
353
00:28:31,584 --> 00:28:33,211
[THANET] You have to hike
354
00:28:33,252 --> 00:28:36,005
and then you have
to actually look for places
355
00:28:36,047 --> 00:28:38,925
where the water,
like, disappears.
356
00:28:38,966 --> 00:28:42,303
If you found cracks,
we lay down plastic bags
357
00:28:42,345 --> 00:28:47,350
and divert the water
by using sandbags and pipe.
358
00:28:47,558 --> 00:28:48,809
[WHIRRING]
359
00:28:48,935 --> 00:28:51,896
[TV REPORTER] Just behind us
there's some heavy equipment
360
00:28:51,938 --> 00:28:53,314
that's been brought in here
361
00:28:53,356 --> 00:28:55,191
to pump out more water
from the cave.
362
00:28:55,233 --> 00:28:57,235
Howard,
we were talking yesterday
363
00:28:57,276 --> 00:28:59,820
about the British divers
who've gone out there.
364
00:28:59,862 --> 00:29:01,239
I asked them for an update
365
00:29:01,280 --> 00:29:03,449
but they walked past,
very stony faced.
366
00:29:03,491 --> 00:29:05,534
They've been
very media shy, actually.
367
00:29:05,576 --> 00:29:07,536
They've been
keeping their heads down
368
00:29:07,578 --> 00:29:09,914
and getting on with the job.
369
00:29:12,375 --> 00:29:14,794
[RICK] The next morning
we decided to see
370
00:29:14,835 --> 00:29:17,004
if we could progress.
371
00:29:17,046 --> 00:29:18,923
Now there was
another guy on the scene,
372
00:29:18,965 --> 00:29:21,509
a Belgian guy
called Ben Reymenants.
373
00:29:21,550 --> 00:29:24,053
[WATER BURBLING]
374
00:29:25,012 --> 00:29:28,766
We met Ben when he was
coming out from his dive.
375
00:29:28,808 --> 00:29:32,019
The three of us, chest-deep
in water in this little pool.
376
00:29:32,061 --> 00:29:34,563
But he said it was impossible
to make progress.
377
00:29:34,605 --> 00:29:38,192
The flow was so strong that
if I would have turned my head,
378
00:29:38,234 --> 00:29:39,819
my mask would have
been ripped off.
379
00:29:39,860 --> 00:29:41,445
My watch had broken
against the rocks,
380
00:29:41,487 --> 00:29:45,032
my dry suit was leaking,
I couldn't properly breathe.
381
00:29:45,074 --> 00:29:47,201
"This is suicide,
what am I doing?"
382
00:29:47,243 --> 00:29:51,122
[WATER BURBLING]
383
00:29:54,959 --> 00:29:56,627
[RICK]
We essentially agreed that
384
00:29:56,669 --> 00:30:00,673
the conditions in the cave
were impossible.
385
00:30:00,881 --> 00:30:02,466
The monsoon had come early
386
00:30:02,508 --> 00:30:07,138
and it wasn't gonna let up
for many months.
387
00:30:11,851 --> 00:30:14,437
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
388
00:30:15,771 --> 00:30:17,773
There was that
very strong feeling
389
00:30:17,773 --> 00:30:20,609
that the children
couldn't be still alive.
390
00:30:20,651 --> 00:30:26,824
It just didn't seem possible.
We'd lost hope.
391
00:30:38,252 --> 00:30:40,796
[ATMOSPHERIC MUSIC]
392
00:30:42,923 --> 00:30:48,137
[JOHN] The American contingent
also felt it's a lost cause.
393
00:30:48,179 --> 00:30:51,390
We were really just kind
of just sat around waiting
394
00:30:51,432 --> 00:30:53,351
for a body recovery.
395
00:31:01,484 --> 00:31:04,236
[TV REPORTER]
Belgium come face to face
396
00:31:04,278 --> 00:31:08,532
with the only Asian team
left in the competition.
397
00:31:08,574 --> 00:31:10,284
[RICK] People had
their mobile phones
398
00:31:10,326 --> 00:31:13,454
and were looking
at the World Cup.
399
00:31:13,496 --> 00:31:14,205
We just sat around.
400
00:31:14,246 --> 00:31:18,042
We were quite despondent
with the fate of those children
401
00:31:18,084 --> 00:31:20,127
in our thoughts.
402
00:31:20,169 --> 00:31:24,340
[JOHN] We started to wonder,
do we actually need to be here?
403
00:31:24,382 --> 00:31:27,093
[RICK] We reached out
to the British consul saying
404
00:31:27,134 --> 00:31:29,220
"Can you sort some flights out?"
405
00:31:29,261 --> 00:31:32,098
And that didn't
go down very well.
406
00:31:32,223 --> 00:31:34,058
- [HEAVY PATTER OF RAIN]
- [DRAMATIC MUSIC]
407
00:32:41,167 --> 00:32:43,919
[RECITING PRAYERS]
408
00:33:32,843 --> 00:33:34,678
[TV REPORTER] They're doing
everything possible
409
00:33:34,720 --> 00:33:38,349
to stem the flow of water
into the cave system.
410
00:33:41,727 --> 00:33:43,979
[TV REPORTER] Standing here
four days ago,
411
00:33:44,021 --> 00:33:46,315
I would have been
knee deep in water.
412
00:33:46,357 --> 00:33:49,151
It's quite a feat
of engineering.
413
00:33:49,360 --> 00:33:51,320
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
414
00:34:05,209 --> 00:34:07,461
[JOHN] Rick and I went
to the Americans and said,
415
00:34:07,461 --> 00:34:10,589
"We wanna get back
in the game, can you help us?"
416
00:34:10,589 --> 00:34:14,677
So eventually, the Thais
allowed us back in the cave.
417
00:34:14,677 --> 00:34:18,180
[RICK] On that Sunday morning,
Ben had done quite a bit of work
418
00:34:18,180 --> 00:34:20,599
continuing the line
of the SEALs.
419
00:34:20,599 --> 00:34:22,309
I give credit to Ben
and the SEALs
420
00:34:22,309 --> 00:34:28,023
for persevering when we thought
it was absolutely impossible.
421
00:34:28,274 --> 00:34:32,444
[JOHN] I am extremely
disappointed in myself
422
00:34:32,486 --> 00:34:36,282
that we kind of gave up
when we did.
423
00:34:36,323 --> 00:34:39,034
That shouldn't have happened.
424
00:34:41,620 --> 00:34:44,081
[RICK] We laid line on Sunday.
425
00:34:44,123 --> 00:34:48,210
The next day, John and I
took another two bags of rope
426
00:34:48,252 --> 00:34:50,838
to continue it.
427
00:34:50,879 --> 00:34:53,215
One of the golden rules
of cave diving is
428
00:34:53,257 --> 00:34:58,637
to have a continuous line
between you and safety.
429
00:34:58,679 --> 00:35:01,557
[QUIET DRAMATIC MUSIC]
430
00:35:01,599 --> 00:35:04,310
[WATER BURBLING]
431
00:35:08,689 --> 00:35:13,485
[JOHN] After two or three hours,
we reached a junction.
432
00:35:13,527 --> 00:35:17,948
[RICK] Which is about 800m
beyond Chamber 3.
433
00:35:17,990 --> 00:35:23,078
Tham Luang is one of
the longest caves in Thailand.
434
00:35:24,872 --> 00:35:30,252
The cave lies under
the Doi Nang Non mountain range.
435
00:35:30,294 --> 00:35:32,921
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
436
00:35:35,174 --> 00:35:40,179
From the entrance,
it's 800m to Chamber 3.
437
00:35:40,220 --> 00:35:42,640
Chamber 3 had
enough dry land
438
00:35:42,681 --> 00:35:46,518
that the SEALS
were in residence there.
439
00:35:46,685 --> 00:35:51,940
Then beyond that, you're largely
in the water the whole way.
440
00:35:51,982 --> 00:35:54,276
The next feature
is the T-Junction.
441
00:35:54,318 --> 00:35:58,030
Two underground rivers unite
at the T-Junction
442
00:35:58,072 --> 00:36:00,949
and then flow to the entrance.
443
00:36:00,991 --> 00:36:03,285
We thought the possible place
444
00:36:03,327 --> 00:36:05,788
where the kids
could have found sanctuary
445
00:36:05,829 --> 00:36:09,500
was a place
called Pattaya Beach.
446
00:36:09,541 --> 00:36:12,127
Pattaya Beach is
the most comfortable area.
447
00:36:12,127 --> 00:36:14,588
It was the highest area as well.
448
00:36:14,630 --> 00:36:17,049
[WATER BURBLING]
449
00:36:17,091 --> 00:36:20,177
[RICK] We progressed
by feel and dead reckoning.
450
00:36:20,219 --> 00:36:23,597
We've no idea what
we're going to find.
451
00:36:23,639 --> 00:36:28,060
So I was just feeling
around in the murk.
452
00:36:28,977 --> 00:36:33,148
I had no idea whether we were
going to encounter dead bodies.
453
00:36:33,148 --> 00:36:36,527
We were steeling ourselves
for that eventuality.
454
00:36:36,568 --> 00:36:39,238
[JOHN] I know
what I was prepared to bump into
455
00:36:39,279 --> 00:36:43,033
because I'd visualised it
very, very carefully.
456
00:36:43,075 --> 00:36:45,244
I'm a great believer
in visualisation.
457
00:36:45,285 --> 00:36:48,205
I try and put emotions
in a box.
458
00:36:48,247 --> 00:36:49,873
I can visualise a shelf
459
00:36:49,915 --> 00:36:51,875
and I put the box
on the top shelf
460
00:36:51,917 --> 00:36:55,838
and I leave it there
and I do what I need to do.
461
00:36:56,130 --> 00:37:00,759
[QUIET SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
462
00:37:02,803 --> 00:37:04,805
[RICK] As we got
to any air space,
463
00:37:04,847 --> 00:37:07,683
I took my mask off
and had a sniff.
464
00:37:07,725 --> 00:37:09,184
Caves have got
a very neutral smell.
465
00:37:09,184 --> 00:37:14,148
You'd easily smell people that
had been in there for ten days.
466
00:37:14,189 --> 00:37:17,776
Defecating, decaying.
467
00:37:18,485 --> 00:37:20,070
[JOHN] Rick and I
had already discussed
468
00:37:20,112 --> 00:37:23,282
that we would lay the thick line
as far as we could,
469
00:37:23,323 --> 00:37:26,285
then I had a reel of 200m
of thinner line.
470
00:37:26,326 --> 00:37:27,745
We would use this to give us
471
00:37:27,786 --> 00:37:31,957
maximum possible reach
into the cave.
472
00:37:36,086 --> 00:37:37,546
[RICK] Everyone had held
their hopes out
473
00:37:37,588 --> 00:37:42,050
that the children were at
this place called Pattaya Beach.
474
00:37:42,092 --> 00:37:43,594
We did know from the survey
475
00:37:43,594 --> 00:37:48,307
that was the only section of
the cave that travelled due east.
476
00:37:49,850 --> 00:37:54,605
So when our compasses
started to point east...
477
00:37:55,981 --> 00:38:00,152
[JOHN] We were at
the mythical Pattaya Beach.
478
00:38:00,194 --> 00:38:03,447
[RICK]
Everything was under water.
479
00:38:03,489 --> 00:38:07,493
We actually retraced
our route there a few times,
480
00:38:07,534 --> 00:38:09,203
but there was absolutely nowhere
481
00:38:09,244 --> 00:38:13,123
a group of people
could have survived.
482
00:38:14,249 --> 00:38:16,835
[JOHN] I was getting
quite keen to turn round,
483
00:38:16,877 --> 00:38:21,048
because I was way beyond
any sensible air margin.
484
00:38:21,089 --> 00:38:24,218
Rule number one, use a third
of your air on the way in,
485
00:38:24,259 --> 00:38:28,555
a third on the way out and
you keep a third for spare.
486
00:38:28,597 --> 00:38:33,143
But I just had this
powerful feeling that...
487
00:38:33,644 --> 00:38:38,524
just that it was time to push.
It was the right time to push.
488
00:38:38,565 --> 00:38:41,819
[ATMOSPHERIC MUSIC]
489
00:38:45,906 --> 00:38:52,871
So we continue upstream,
trying to follow the flow.
490
00:39:03,715 --> 00:39:07,845
[ATMOSPHERIC MUSIC CONTINUES]
491
00:39:12,599 --> 00:39:15,602
[SPLASHING]
492
00:39:26,780 --> 00:39:31,994
[RICK] It was instantaneous,
a pungent smell.
493
00:39:33,078 --> 00:39:34,538
Silence.
494
00:39:34,580 --> 00:39:35,873
[JOHN] We both assumed
495
00:39:35,914 --> 00:39:39,001
we were smelling
decomposing bodies.
496
00:39:39,042 --> 00:39:42,796
There's something
unpleasant here.
497
00:39:44,423 --> 00:39:49,094
And then suddenly
I saw a light flash.
498
00:39:55,976 --> 00:39:59,938
[RICK] John immediately
got out the camera.
499
00:40:02,733 --> 00:40:04,067
[RICK]
Want me to light them up?
500
00:40:04,109 --> 00:40:06,069
[JOHN] Yeah, best you can.
501
00:40:06,111 --> 00:40:07,404
[MUFFLED VOICES]
502
00:40:07,821 --> 00:40:09,865
- [JOHN] How many of you?
- [RICK] They're all alive.
503
00:40:09,907 --> 00:40:11,241
- [COACH EAK] 13.
- [JOHN] 13?
504
00:40:11,283 --> 00:40:12,951
- [COACH EAK] Yes, 13.
- [JOHN] Brilliant!
505
00:40:12,993 --> 00:40:15,704
- [COACH EAK] Yeah, yeah.
- [SPEAKING THAI]
506
00:40:15,746 --> 00:40:19,041
[JOHN] Believe. Believe.
507
00:40:19,082 --> 00:40:22,878
On the audio,
there's me saying, "Believe."
508
00:40:22,920 --> 00:40:26,214
That was me trying
to tell me this is real.
509
00:40:26,256 --> 00:40:29,009
This is actually happening.
510
00:40:30,135 --> 00:40:34,181
[RICK] No, not today.
Not today.
511
00:40:34,222 --> 00:40:35,140
You have to dive.
512
00:40:35,182 --> 00:40:39,645
[JOHN] We are coming, it's okay.
Many people are coming.
513
00:40:39,686 --> 00:40:40,729
[RICK] Many, many people.
514
00:40:40,771 --> 00:40:43,190
[JOHN] We are the first.
Many people come.
515
00:40:45,943 --> 00:40:46,526
[RICK] Tomorrow.
516
00:40:46,568 --> 00:40:49,571
[JOHN] No, no, no, what day
is it, they're asking.
517
00:40:52,532 --> 00:40:53,909
- [JOHN] Monday.
- [RICK] Monday.
518
00:40:53,951 --> 00:40:56,578
[JOHN] Okay, but
one week and Monday.
519
00:40:56,620 --> 00:41:01,541
You have been here ten days.
Ten days.
520
00:41:01,583 --> 00:41:06,254
You are very strong.
Very strong.
521
00:41:12,177 --> 00:41:15,013
[RICK] Okay, go back.
We come, we come.
522
00:41:16,056 --> 00:41:18,850
[RICK] I know, I know,
I understand.
523
00:41:18,892 --> 00:41:21,895
We come, okay?
We come.
524
00:41:30,862 --> 00:41:32,364
[RICK] We took our equipment off
525
00:41:32,406 --> 00:41:34,116
on the other side
of the passage,
526
00:41:34,157 --> 00:41:37,160
made our way
over to them.
527
00:41:38,203 --> 00:41:42,958
I mean, clearly John has a son
and then I haven't got children.
528
00:41:43,000 --> 00:41:44,126
I have structured my life
529
00:41:44,167 --> 00:41:46,920
to avoid children
as much as possible,
530
00:41:46,962 --> 00:41:48,338
but John is a cub master
531
00:41:48,380 --> 00:41:50,549
so he's used to dealing
with groups of children.
532
00:41:50,590 --> 00:41:52,843
[JOHN] Say thumbs up.
Say "Yay!"
533
00:41:52,884 --> 00:41:53,510
[CHILDREN] Yes!
534
00:41:53,552 --> 00:41:55,971
[RICK] He got them to do
a motivational exercise.
535
00:41:56,013 --> 00:41:58,515
- [JOHN] Everybody say "Yeah!"
- [CHILDREN] Yes!
536
00:41:58,557 --> 00:42:02,144
[JOHN] Excellent!
Say, "Hello, Americans!"
537
00:42:02,185 --> 00:42:03,895
[CHILDREN] Hello, Americans!
538
00:42:03,937 --> 00:42:05,439
[JOHN] Hello, Thai Navy!
539
00:42:05,480 --> 00:42:07,315
[CHILDREN] Hello, Thai Navy.
540
00:42:07,357 --> 00:42:09,317
[JOHN]
Say, "Hello, Australians!"
541
00:42:09,359 --> 00:42:11,653
[CHILDREN] Hello Australians!
542
00:42:11,695 --> 00:42:13,030
[JOHN] Hello, Chinese!
543
00:42:13,071 --> 00:42:14,114
[CHILDREN] Hello, Chinese!
544
00:42:14,156 --> 00:42:15,866
[JOHN] And thank you,
everybody else.
545
00:42:15,907 --> 00:42:18,118
[CHILDREN] And thank you,
everybody!
546
00:42:18,160 --> 00:42:20,579
[JOHN] Okay, we see you soon.
547
00:42:20,620 --> 00:42:22,956
[RICK] As we left,
pretty much all of them came
548
00:42:22,998 --> 00:42:25,751
and hugged us individually.
549
00:42:25,792 --> 00:42:29,921
[JOHN] I made them a promise
that I would come back.
550
00:42:29,963 --> 00:42:31,840
[COACH EAK]
I am very happy then.
551
00:42:31,882 --> 00:42:33,925
[JOHN] We are happy too.
552
00:42:33,967 --> 00:42:35,218
[COACH EAK]
Yes, thank you so much.
553
00:42:35,260 --> 00:42:36,720
[CHILDREN] Thank you so much.
554
00:42:36,762 --> 00:42:38,847
[COACH EAK]
So, where you come from?
555
00:42:38,889 --> 00:42:42,768
- [JOHN] England, UK.
- [COACH EAK] Oh!
556
00:42:43,060 --> 00:42:46,063
[RICK] As we went round
the corner and kitted up,
557
00:42:46,104 --> 00:42:48,607
total silence
between me and John,
558
00:42:48,648 --> 00:42:51,109
just a look into each
other's faces thinking,
559
00:42:51,151 --> 00:42:55,864
we may be the only ones
that ever see them.
560
00:42:55,906 --> 00:42:59,534
That was a distinct possibility.
561
00:43:03,914 --> 00:43:07,292
The whole journey back,
all I was thinking was,
562
00:43:07,334 --> 00:43:11,379
"What on Earth are
we going to do now?"
563
00:43:18,178 --> 00:43:20,847
[JOHN] I surfaced first
in Chamber 3
564
00:43:20,889 --> 00:43:23,892
where the Thai Navy SEALs
had their base.
565
00:43:23,934 --> 00:43:24,476
13 alive!
566
00:43:24,518 --> 00:43:27,312
- [NAVY DIVER] Oh!
- [JOHN] They're okay. Yeah.
567
00:43:27,354 --> 00:43:28,188
[SPEAKING THAI]
568
00:43:28,230 --> 00:43:32,150
[NAVY DIVERS] Oh!
You first! Phew!
569
00:43:33,401 --> 00:43:35,278
[JOHN] Got a message.
570
00:43:36,196 --> 00:43:38,198
[NAVY DIVER] Good job, men.
571
00:43:47,666 --> 00:43:52,963
[RICK] The SEALs immediately
relayed the news to the outside.
572
00:43:53,004 --> 00:43:55,090
Shortly after we exited,
573
00:43:55,132 --> 00:43:57,551
the footage was released
all over the world.
574
00:43:57,592 --> 00:44:01,012
[TV REPORTER] Live images
coming out of Thailand.
575
00:44:02,389 --> 00:44:04,057
[TV REPORTER]
Dramatic breaking news.
576
00:44:04,099 --> 00:44:06,226
[JOHN] You are very strong.
577
00:44:06,226 --> 00:44:07,519
[TV REPORTER]
A true miracle.
578
00:44:07,519 --> 00:44:10,021
- [speaking in Korean]
- [TV REPORTER] The moment.
579
00:44:13,817 --> 00:44:17,112
[CHEERING]
580
00:44:20,699 --> 00:44:23,827
[TV REPORTER] Thailand's
prayers have paid off.
581
00:44:23,869 --> 00:44:26,538
[CROWD] Hey! Ho!
582
00:44:29,291 --> 00:44:31,960
- [RICK] Thank you.
- [APAKORN] Thank you very much.
583
00:44:32,002 --> 00:44:35,589
[RICK] Your troops are doing
a really good job.
584
00:44:35,630 --> 00:44:36,298
[APAKORN] You too.
585
00:44:36,339 --> 00:44:39,134
[TV REPORTER] What
a remarkable turn of events.
586
00:44:53,982 --> 00:44:58,945
[APAKORN] I would like to say
thank you for everyone.
587
00:44:58,987 --> 00:45:01,781
[APPLAUSE]
588
00:45:03,241 --> 00:45:06,244
- We are family.
- [JOHN] Yes, yes.
589
00:45:06,286 --> 00:45:10,582
That night, there was a battle
meeting at the American camp
590
00:45:10,624 --> 00:45:11,541
with the Thai Navy.
591
00:45:11,583 --> 00:45:15,754
This was a formal meeting
with Rear Admiral Apakorn.
592
00:45:15,795 --> 00:45:18,048
[SVASTI] Rick and John
told the Thais,
593
00:45:18,089 --> 00:45:20,050
finding the boys
was the easy part
594
00:45:20,091 --> 00:45:25,472
and they didn't have a clue
how to get those kids out.
595
00:45:25,513 --> 00:45:29,017
[RICK] Rear Admiral Apakorn
thanked us for our role
596
00:45:29,059 --> 00:45:30,644
as being pathfinders
597
00:45:30,685 --> 00:45:33,063
and he said the Thai SEALS
would take over
598
00:45:33,104 --> 00:45:39,527
chain of command and you will
just be in an advisory role.
599
00:45:48,495 --> 00:45:52,123
[RICK] Suddenly it was like
a navy going to war.
600
00:45:55,126 --> 00:45:58,463
[NAVY DIVERS]
Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!
601
00:45:58,505 --> 00:46:01,341
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
602
00:46:30,370 --> 00:46:31,621
[JOHN]
The Thai Navy SEALs carried in
603
00:46:31,663 --> 00:46:35,792
vast quantities of equipment.
The piles of diving cylinders.
604
00:46:35,834 --> 00:46:40,088
The task was absolutely
massive and crucial.
605
00:46:54,394 --> 00:46:57,772
They had a lot of people
and a lot of equipment,
606
00:46:57,772 --> 00:47:01,568
but we started to hear
that their first set of divers
607
00:47:01,609 --> 00:47:04,404
had run into problems.
608
00:48:42,210 --> 00:48:45,338
[JOHN] The four that were left
were effectively trapped in
609
00:48:45,380 --> 00:48:47,257
with the children.
610
00:49:14,325 --> 00:49:16,286
[TV REPORTER]
Authorities there are looking at
611
00:49:16,327 --> 00:49:18,663
all of their options, none of them easy.
612
00:49:18,705 --> 00:49:21,040
[TV REPORTER] Right now,
the preferable option
613
00:49:21,082 --> 00:49:22,041
is to keep them down there.
614
00:49:22,083 --> 00:49:24,377
[TV REPORTER] It could be months
to get those boys out safely.
615
00:49:24,419 --> 00:49:26,171
[TV REPORTER] Sending in
supplies and waiting
616
00:49:26,212 --> 00:49:28,465
until the monsoon
and flooding is over,
617
00:49:28,506 --> 00:49:30,341
they said that
could be till October.
618
00:49:30,467 --> 00:49:32,010
[TV REPORTER] The search
also continues
619
00:49:32,010 --> 00:49:33,887
in the hills and jungle
above the cave complex -
620
00:49:33,887 --> 00:49:37,015
workers looking for any way
to get into the cave
621
00:49:37,432 --> 00:49:38,808
beyond the flooded sections.
622
00:49:38,808 --> 00:49:40,643
[TV REPORTER] Another
possibility they're looking at
623
00:49:40,643 --> 00:49:44,731
is drilling new entries into the
cave so they can pull them out.
624
00:49:44,731 --> 00:49:46,524
[TV REPORTER]
Creating a shaft large enough
625
00:49:46,524 --> 00:49:50,195
would be extremely complicated
and could take a long time.
626
00:49:50,236 --> 00:49:52,572
[TV REPORTER]
The only real alternative
627
00:49:52,614 --> 00:49:53,823
is to pump out the water.
628
00:49:53,865 --> 00:49:55,950
[TV REPORTER] They're
pumping out something like
629
00:49:55,950 --> 00:49:58,870
1.6 million litres of water
630
00:49:58,912 --> 00:50:01,206
and it only went down 1cm.
631
00:50:08,421 --> 00:50:11,799
[RICK] There was almost
a one in a billion chance
632
00:50:11,841 --> 00:50:15,637
that any of these things
could have worked.
633
00:50:15,678 --> 00:50:18,097
The Americans
were getting worried
634
00:50:18,139 --> 00:50:21,267
and were asking us
was there anything we could do?
635
00:50:21,309 --> 00:50:24,103
We said we didn't think
it was possible for us
636
00:50:24,145 --> 00:50:25,396
to dive the children out.
637
00:50:25,438 --> 00:50:28,316
The experience
with the four pump workers
638
00:50:28,358 --> 00:50:29,317
was an indication of that,
639
00:50:29,359 --> 00:50:32,529
where they couldn't even hold
it together for 30 seconds,
640
00:50:32,570 --> 00:50:34,906
let alone two and a half hours.
641
00:50:34,948 --> 00:50:37,992
We said, "It can't be done."
642
00:50:37,992 --> 00:50:41,371
I was like,
well, what if it could?
643
00:50:41,412 --> 00:50:44,791
What does
the impossible look like?
644
00:50:48,169 --> 00:50:50,630
[RICK] When we got back
to our resort that night,
645
00:50:50,672 --> 00:50:53,967
we continued
thinking it through.
646
00:51:01,015 --> 00:51:02,433
I texted an old friend,
647
00:51:02,475 --> 00:51:04,894
Dr. Richard Harris
from Australia.
648
00:51:04,936 --> 00:51:07,522
[BEEPING]
649
00:51:08,398 --> 00:51:10,692
[RICHARD] It was on
the Thursday 5th July,
650
00:51:10,733 --> 00:51:15,530
when I started exchanging
messages with Rick.
651
00:51:15,572 --> 00:51:20,493
[RICK] I said, is it possible
to anaesthetise the children?
652
00:51:20,535 --> 00:51:22,161
[RICHARD]
My immediate response to Rick
653
00:51:22,203 --> 00:51:26,124
was absolutely not.
It's not possible.
654
00:51:26,374 --> 00:51:27,625
[FIONA] Early one morning,
655
00:51:27,667 --> 00:51:29,586
Harry's phone had been
pinging away all night
656
00:51:29,627 --> 00:51:32,213
and I had a look and saw
the message from Rick
657
00:51:32,255 --> 00:51:33,923
saying what do you think about
658
00:51:33,965 --> 00:51:37,093
sedating the boys
and diving them out
659
00:51:37,135 --> 00:51:38,845
and I actually laughed.
660
00:51:38,886 --> 00:51:42,724
I laughed.
It just, it sounded ludicrous.
661
00:51:42,765 --> 00:51:46,811
I could think of 100 ways
a child would die very quickly.
662
00:51:46,853 --> 00:51:50,440
For example,
to maintain your airway,
663
00:51:50,481 --> 00:51:52,233
you need to keep
their chin up.
664
00:51:52,275 --> 00:51:53,735
At any time during the dive,
665
00:51:53,776 --> 00:51:55,737
the child's airway
could obstruct.
666
00:51:55,778 --> 00:51:56,529
They would asphyxiate.
667
00:51:56,571 --> 00:51:58,364
Their sinuses
could fill up with blood,
668
00:51:58,406 --> 00:51:59,824
they could drown
in their own saliva.
669
00:51:59,866 --> 00:52:03,036
Honestly, I could talk for
an hour about the ways that
670
00:52:03,077 --> 00:52:05,705
I thought these kids could die.
671
00:52:07,081 --> 00:52:10,877
[RICK] So the next morning,
we had a proper conversation
672
00:52:10,918 --> 00:52:14,172
and he said he was willing
to consider it,
673
00:52:14,213 --> 00:52:17,008
give it some thought.
674
00:52:21,846 --> 00:52:24,390
At the same time,
we realised it's two days
675
00:52:24,432 --> 00:52:29,020
since we found them
and no proper meals had gone in.
676
00:52:30,480 --> 00:52:32,190
[JOHN]
We took it upon ourselves
677
00:52:32,231 --> 00:52:36,527
to scrounge some ration packs
off the Americans.
678
00:53:03,554 --> 00:53:06,849
[RICK] It just seemed
a bit ludicrous to me,
679
00:53:06,891 --> 00:53:08,476
relying on bracelets.
680
00:53:08,518 --> 00:53:13,481
[SVASTI] I said, "Rick, those
kids really believe in spirits.
681
00:53:13,523 --> 00:53:17,860
"It will improve their morale.
It really is important.”
682
00:53:17,902 --> 00:53:23,157
Then he calmed down, he said,
"Okay, I'll take them."
683
00:53:23,157 --> 00:53:25,618
[LAUGHS]
684
00:53:31,999 --> 00:53:33,543
[JOHN]
It was a desperate struggle,
685
00:53:33,584 --> 00:53:38,589
dragging these two huge bags
of food against the current.
686
00:53:40,425 --> 00:53:44,137
My most difficult dive yet.
687
00:53:48,182 --> 00:53:49,642
[RICK] When we
got to the children,
688
00:53:49,684 --> 00:53:51,602
they were really excited
to see us.
689
00:53:51,644 --> 00:53:53,354
[JOHN]
Their morale was good.
690
00:53:53,396 --> 00:53:56,566
[RICK] We passed the bracelets
out to the boys one by one.
691
00:53:56,607 --> 00:54:00,945
They knew what they were,
reaching out to get them.
692
00:54:00,987 --> 00:54:03,239
Dr. Bhak put two of the boys
to work,
693
00:54:03,281 --> 00:54:05,867
stacking the food
in neat, orderly piles.
694
00:54:05,908 --> 00:54:07,952
They didn't tear into it.
695
00:54:22,967 --> 00:54:26,721
[RICK] As they were eating,
both John and I felt the air
696
00:54:26,763 --> 00:54:30,141
was starting to feel
a little bit stale.
697
00:54:30,183 --> 00:54:31,225
I think it's recording.
698
00:54:31,225 --> 00:54:33,978
[JOHN] The effort
of climbing the slope,
699
00:54:34,020 --> 00:54:37,398
the panting that was required.
700
00:54:37,440 --> 00:54:38,900
[RICK]
That signal to count down.
701
00:54:38,941 --> 00:54:42,528
It takes...
You can focus that close.
702
00:54:42,570 --> 00:54:44,530
So I turned
the oxygen monitor on
703
00:54:44,572 --> 00:54:48,201
and it immediately went
into full alarm
704
00:54:48,409 --> 00:54:51,329
and registered 15%.
705
00:54:51,370 --> 00:54:53,998
For the oxygen,
anything under 18%
706
00:54:54,040 --> 00:54:57,627
is not sustainable to life
in the long term.
707
00:54:58,211 --> 00:55:02,840
[RICK] I couldn't look
the children in their eyes.
708
00:55:08,429 --> 00:55:10,306
[TV REPORTER] Breaking
news right now out of Thailand.
709
00:55:10,348 --> 00:55:12,892
[TV reporter] We just
found out that a Thai Navy SEAL
710
00:55:12,934 --> 00:55:15,269
working to save
those young boys inside
711
00:55:15,269 --> 00:55:18,606
that deep, dark cave has died.
712
00:55:18,648 --> 00:55:21,317
[TV REPORTER]
The man who died was young, fit.
713
00:55:21,359 --> 00:55:22,276
He was a former Navy SEAL.
714
00:55:22,276 --> 00:55:24,695
Authorities say
38-year-old Saman Gunan,
715
00:55:24,737 --> 00:55:28,199
who'd rejoined the SEALs
solely to help the search,
716
00:55:28,241 --> 00:55:30,952
died from lack of oxygen.
717
00:55:44,382 --> 00:55:47,927
[RICK] The bundle of neoprene
wetsuits was really buoyant,
718
00:55:47,969 --> 00:55:51,681
and would have been
a huge burden to take in.
719
00:55:51,722 --> 00:55:53,683
On his way back,
he ran out of air
720
00:55:53,724 --> 00:55:56,686
fairly close
to the third chamber.
721
00:57:11,761 --> 00:57:14,472
[CHANTING]
722
00:57:19,060 --> 00:57:20,770
[RICK]
Unfortunately it was Saman,
723
00:57:20,811 --> 00:57:23,773
it could have been
another one earlier on.
724
00:57:23,814 --> 00:57:25,274
Saman is in the SEALS.
725
00:57:25,316 --> 00:57:27,735
They were operating
in an environment
726
00:57:27,777 --> 00:57:29,737
they're not used to.
727
00:57:29,779 --> 00:57:31,656
[JOHN] None of them
had dived in caves
728
00:57:31,697 --> 00:57:35,952
and the kit they had
was completely unsuitable.
729
00:57:35,993 --> 00:57:38,955
They were unbelievably brave.
730
00:57:48,214 --> 00:57:51,384
[RICK] The moment
Saman Gunan died,
731
00:57:51,425 --> 00:57:52,259
the Rear Admiral said,
732
00:57:52,301 --> 00:57:54,345
"We won't be diving
to the boys any further."
733
00:57:54,387 --> 00:57:58,182
And from that time on,
there was no further diving
734
00:57:58,224 --> 00:58:01,185
by Thai SEALs
beyond Chamber 3.
735
00:58:01,227 --> 00:58:05,815
The Thai Navy SEALs
put everything they had into it.
736
00:58:05,856 --> 00:58:09,026
They risked their lives
I would say more than the Brits,
737
00:58:09,068 --> 00:58:12,905
but they didn't have
the skill set
738
00:58:12,947 --> 00:58:13,990
and they couldn't
quite figure out
739
00:58:14,031 --> 00:58:18,911
why these old men were a lot
better at doing it than them.
740
00:58:18,953 --> 00:58:23,791
But no special force
in the world has those skills.
741
00:58:23,833 --> 00:58:26,252
Only this private group
of people
742
00:58:26,293 --> 00:58:29,380
who do it as a weekend hobby.
743
00:58:30,089 --> 00:58:32,049
[RICK] The moment
I found the boys,
744
00:58:32,091 --> 00:58:35,136
Amp said I'd totally changed.
745
00:58:35,177 --> 00:58:37,596
The responsibility,
despite not officially
746
00:58:37,638 --> 00:58:42,727
being on my shoulders,
was morally on my shoulders.
747
00:58:43,394 --> 00:58:46,313
It had to be us.
748
00:58:51,318 --> 00:58:53,529
In the morning,
I had a chat with Harry.
749
00:58:53,571 --> 00:58:58,075
I told him the truth. I said,
"Sedation is the only option."
750
00:58:58,117 --> 00:59:03,122
He said he'd come out to help us
but not to sedate them.
751
00:59:03,164 --> 00:59:05,708
[RICHARD] Maybe I sounded like
I just thought this would be
752
00:59:05,750 --> 00:59:08,669
a good jolly
or a good adventure to Rick,
753
00:59:08,711 --> 00:59:10,379
because he said to me
on the phone...
754
00:59:10,421 --> 00:59:13,632
..."If you come here
and you dive to the children
755
00:59:13,674 --> 00:59:15,342
"and you're not prepared
to sedate them,
756
00:59:15,384 --> 00:59:19,889
"you will see the children
and they will die."
757
00:59:23,517 --> 00:59:26,771
This plan's
still so preposterous,
758
00:59:26,812 --> 00:59:28,522
surely this is not gonna work
759
00:59:28,522 --> 00:59:30,858
and the thought of just
bringing out the bodies
760
00:59:30,900 --> 00:59:34,904
of these kids
was just too much for me.
761
00:59:34,945 --> 00:59:39,241
[PRODUCER] How many times have
you had to remove bodies
762
00:59:39,283 --> 00:59:42,328
which have been left in caves?
763
00:59:43,537 --> 00:59:45,623
[RICK] It's not quite
double figures
764
00:59:45,664 --> 00:59:48,918
but I think it's around nine.
765
00:59:49,835 --> 00:59:55,049
I went to Mexico in 1994,
in a very deep cave,
766
00:59:55,091 --> 00:59:56,092
1000m deep cave,
767
00:59:56,133 --> 00:59:59,804
and my best friend was operating
as a diver on that project
768
00:59:59,845 --> 01:00:03,307
and he had an incident
and did die.
769
01:00:04,725 --> 01:00:08,938
It was traumatic, 'cause
he was such a close friend
770
01:00:08,979 --> 01:00:10,064
and it was so hands on.
771
01:00:10,106 --> 01:00:14,485
It wasn't in a stretcher,
he wasn't wrapped up.
772
01:00:17,071 --> 01:00:18,948
Despite Harry's scepticism,
773
01:00:18,989 --> 01:00:21,617
I became more
and more convinced
774
01:00:21,659 --> 01:00:23,202
this was the only way.
775
01:00:23,244 --> 01:00:27,081
So the next morning,
I told Derek the concept.
776
01:00:27,123 --> 01:00:28,874
[DEREK] I told him,
that's a horrible idea,
777
01:00:28,916 --> 01:00:32,670
and then Rick said,
"What if it's the only idea?"
778
01:00:32,711 --> 01:00:34,213
I was highly sceptical,
779
01:00:34,255 --> 01:00:38,509
but I believed in their talents
and their abilities.
780
01:00:46,517 --> 01:00:49,061
[DEREK] I asked, "If you could
put together the best team
781
01:00:49,103 --> 01:00:52,773
"in the world of guys that
you would need to do this,
782
01:00:52,815 --> 01:00:54,817
"who would it be?"
783
01:00:55,359 --> 01:00:57,444
I had a message
from John just saying,
784
01:00:57,486 --> 01:00:59,280
"We don't think
the Thai military
785
01:00:59,321 --> 01:01:00,447
can effect the evacuation."
786
01:01:00,489 --> 01:01:02,992
"That means we need you
and you need Jason."
787
01:01:03,534 --> 01:01:04,285
[JASON] I was climbing
788
01:01:04,326 --> 01:01:06,245
the internal structure
of a building.
789
01:01:06,245 --> 01:01:07,955
Checked my phone
and Chris says,
790
01:01:07,955 --> 01:01:10,040
"We're flying out tonight."
791
01:01:11,834 --> 01:01:14,712
[JOSH] I was a couple of days
from the end of my holiday.
792
01:01:14,712 --> 01:01:16,755
I was on my way down
a mountain in Italy.
793
01:01:16,755 --> 01:01:19,758
[JIM] I get a text saying,
"How soon can you be ready?"
794
01:01:19,758 --> 01:01:23,137
I was ringing my boss
to get time off.
795
01:01:25,264 --> 01:01:28,267
I was actually meant
to attend my friend's stag do
796
01:01:28,309 --> 01:01:30,853
on the Saturday.
797
01:01:31,937 --> 01:01:34,607
[RICHARD] When I realised that
I was gonna be headed over
798
01:01:34,648 --> 01:01:39,028
to Thailand, I went in to visit
my dad in the nursing home.
799
01:01:40,237 --> 01:01:43,157
[FIONA]
His dad didn't understand
800
01:01:43,199 --> 01:01:45,743
the cave diving thing.
801
01:01:45,784 --> 01:01:47,244
Definitely less than me.
802
01:01:47,286 --> 01:01:48,913
They had a bit
of a long-running joke.
803
01:01:48,954 --> 01:01:51,457
He would constantly ask
when I was gonna give up
804
01:01:51,498 --> 01:01:53,459
cave diving
'cause it worried him obviously
805
01:01:53,500 --> 01:01:55,753
and I'd always joke
with him saying,
806
01:01:55,794 --> 01:01:58,339
"Well, actually,
that was my last dive.
807
01:01:58,380 --> 01:01:59,173
"I'm finished now."
808
01:01:59,215 --> 01:02:01,091
And he'd go, "That's great,
I'm so relieved!"
809
01:02:01,133 --> 01:02:03,219
Then he'd look at me
and roar with laughter
810
01:02:03,260 --> 01:02:04,970
as he'd realise
I was pulling his leg.
811
01:02:05,012 --> 01:02:08,766
So we had a good chat
and I headed off the next day.
812
01:02:22,821 --> 01:02:24,531
So when we arrived
at the cave,
813
01:02:24,573 --> 01:02:28,535
we step out of this minivan
to a sea of cameras
814
01:02:28,577 --> 01:02:30,621
staring us down.
815
01:02:30,663 --> 01:02:33,707
I found it really
frightening actually.
816
01:02:33,707 --> 01:02:39,797
We found John and Rick.
They looked a big shagged.
817
01:02:40,589 --> 01:02:41,924
The first thing I said was,
818
01:02:41,966 --> 01:02:44,301
"Look, I've gotta dive
the cave, get to the end,
819
01:02:44,343 --> 01:02:46,262
"see the kids myself,
convince myself
820
01:02:46,303 --> 01:02:49,682
"that there's no other way
to get them out."
821
01:02:49,723 --> 01:02:54,520
My partner Craig and I
swam to the children.
822
01:02:54,937 --> 01:02:57,856
It was just
a muddy hole really.
823
01:03:01,652 --> 01:03:05,114
[RICHARD] As I surfaced,
the filth floating on the water
824
01:03:05,155 --> 01:03:09,326
meant we're in the final chamber
where the kids were.
825
01:03:09,368 --> 01:03:12,246
When I realised I was
about to meet these boys,
826
01:03:12,288 --> 01:03:16,542
of course, I thought
about my own children.
827
01:03:16,583 --> 01:03:19,795
I was slightly horrified
how thin they looked
828
01:03:19,837 --> 01:03:22,381
and I could hear
a couple of them coughing,
829
01:03:22,423 --> 01:03:24,216
pretty wet coughs.
830
01:03:24,258 --> 01:03:27,928
They looked weak to me,
but it's incredible to me still
831
01:03:27,970 --> 01:03:30,180
that there was not
one trembling lip,
832
01:03:30,222 --> 01:03:33,934
not a tear, not any sign
of any concern.
833
01:03:55,748 --> 01:03:58,167
[RICHARD] I just spent
the whole time swimming out
834
01:03:58,208 --> 01:04:01,712
thinking about
what we were gonna do
835
01:04:01,754 --> 01:04:04,173
and I guess
that's when I decided that,
836
01:04:04,214 --> 01:04:09,803
yeah, I'm just gonna have
to get on board with this plan.
837
01:04:14,350 --> 01:04:16,393
[MITCH] At that point,
we needed bodies,
838
01:04:16,435 --> 01:04:19,355
we needed guys
who were able to help alleviate
839
01:04:19,396 --> 01:04:22,191
some of the workload
off John and Rick.
840
01:04:22,232 --> 01:04:26,403
[MIKKO] We were kind of a team
living in Thailand already.
841
01:04:26,445 --> 01:04:29,948
Kind of the technical
diving instructors.
842
01:04:29,990 --> 01:04:32,409
Most of us were from Europe.
843
01:04:32,451 --> 01:04:35,412
We rolled them in
immediately into our team.
844
01:04:35,454 --> 01:04:39,208
[SVASTI] The team was ready,
but the Thai authorities
845
01:04:39,249 --> 01:04:43,921
were still unwilling
to make that decision
846
01:04:43,962 --> 01:04:46,173
and give the go-ahead.
847
01:04:53,389 --> 01:04:56,725
[TV REPORTER] Conditions
worsening, air supply dwindling
848
01:04:56,767 --> 01:05:01,814
and the other concern looming
is the monsoon rain.
849
01:05:02,564 --> 01:05:04,691
[JOHN]
We now had two ticking clocks,
850
01:05:04,691 --> 01:05:05,984
the oxygen and the weather.
851
01:05:06,026 --> 01:05:07,945
[WEATHER FORECASTER]
In the afternoons we get
852
01:05:07,986 --> 01:05:09,822
thunderstorms that develop.
853
01:05:09,863 --> 01:05:13,075
A tell-tale sign
of the monsoons really.
854
01:05:18,414 --> 01:05:21,458
[VERN] The Thai Navy
SEALs want zero risk.
855
01:05:21,500 --> 01:05:23,919
That's not gonna happen.
856
01:05:23,961 --> 01:05:25,796
[JOHN] But what appeared
to tip the balance
857
01:05:25,838 --> 01:05:29,007
was a gentleman
called Josh Morris.
858
01:05:29,049 --> 01:05:30,050
[MORRIS]
When I arrived, I said,
859
01:05:30,092 --> 01:05:33,595
"I have a climbing and caving
school and I speak Thai."
860
01:05:33,637 --> 01:05:35,264
Thanet and I
were working together,
861
01:05:35,305 --> 01:05:37,933
and then I bumped into Vern
who let me know,
862
01:05:37,975 --> 01:05:40,686
kind of, things weren't
so hunky-dory.
863
01:05:40,727 --> 01:05:44,773
I mean, I have access
to like [BLEEP], so I...
864
01:05:44,815 --> 01:05:46,150
[MAN] So they would listen
to us now.
865
01:05:46,191 --> 01:05:50,529
I bumped into him this morning
and I'd be happy to communicate.
866
01:05:50,571 --> 01:05:51,572
Shall I take notes?
867
01:05:51,613 --> 01:05:55,284
John was visibly stressed
and he said,
868
01:05:55,325 --> 01:05:57,327
"If it rains
and the waters come up,
869
01:05:57,369 --> 01:05:58,620
"nobody's getting in that cave.
870
01:05:58,662 --> 01:06:00,456
"The conditions are terrible
in there.
871
01:06:00,497 --> 01:06:03,208
"They're in those blankets
and everybody looks happy,
872
01:06:03,250 --> 01:06:06,170
"but the room stinks,
they don't have any food,
873
01:06:06,211 --> 01:06:08,714
"they've got cuts,
like they're gonna get sick."
874
01:06:08,755 --> 01:06:10,132
I said,
"What are you talking about?
875
01:06:10,174 --> 01:06:12,843
"I haven't heard any of that.
How much food do they have?"
876
01:06:12,885 --> 01:06:16,096
And he said,
"They got about 100 meals."
877
01:06:16,138 --> 01:06:19,475
- Oxygen's at what level now?
- So we measured it at 15.
878
01:06:19,516 --> 01:06:23,520
- [RICK] But we're not.
- [JOHN] It could be 16%.
879
01:06:23,562 --> 01:06:27,733
That'll be quite safe.
How about the dive?
880
01:06:27,774 --> 01:06:28,984
What do you guys
feel about that?
881
01:06:29,026 --> 01:06:33,489
[RICK] Just exceptionally risky,
but they haven't got any choice.
882
01:06:33,530 --> 01:06:34,990
You don't think
there's any choice
883
01:06:35,032 --> 01:06:38,952
- if they don't die...
- Are you recording?
884
01:06:45,250 --> 01:06:48,670
[MORRIS] Finally, we got the
audience we needed that night.
885
01:06:48,712 --> 01:06:51,507
The Minster of the Interior
came and everybody ended up
886
01:06:51,548 --> 01:06:55,093
in the room together
and I helped to translate.
887
01:06:55,135 --> 01:06:56,929
[DEREK] We just walked him
through the plan.
888
01:06:56,970 --> 01:07:00,766
I think the biggest questions
that people were having still
889
01:07:00,807 --> 01:07:02,976
was, like, the risk, you know?
890
01:07:02,976 --> 01:07:04,770
And like I told them,
it's extremely risky
891
01:07:04,811 --> 01:07:08,273
but if you could give one kid
back to their parents alive,
892
01:07:08,315 --> 01:07:11,860
that to me would be a success.
893
01:07:11,902 --> 01:07:13,737
[RICHARD] They asked
me lots of questions.
894
01:07:13,779 --> 01:07:16,823
Why was I choosing this drug,
these doses?
895
01:07:16,865 --> 01:07:18,158
I had to keep
emphasising to them,
896
01:07:18,200 --> 01:07:22,329
"Look, this is my best guess.
Nobody's ever done it before.
897
01:07:22,371 --> 01:07:25,832
"I am totally open
to a better suggestion.”
898
01:07:25,874 --> 01:07:28,710
I remember feeling like
a used car salesman
899
01:07:28,752 --> 01:07:30,295
who was trying
to sell an old bomb
900
01:07:30,337 --> 01:07:36,260
to some unsuspecting people
and I felt like just a liar.
901
01:07:36,301 --> 01:07:39,388
[DEREK] They kept asking,
"Can we just leave 'em there?"
902
01:07:39,429 --> 01:07:41,974
That kept coming back
on the table and I said,
903
01:07:42,015 --> 01:07:43,392
"Well, we're running out
of oxygen.
904
01:07:43,433 --> 01:07:47,062
"Also, we calculated 2000 meals
we'd have to bring in
905
01:07:47,104 --> 01:07:49,022
"and once the rain
started again,
906
01:07:49,022 --> 01:07:51,942
"you couldn't swim
against those flows."
907
01:07:52,276 --> 01:07:55,988
[MORRIS] And then Thanet and I
ended up in another meeting.
908
01:07:55,988 --> 01:07:57,781
At one point I said
to the minister,
909
01:07:57,781 --> 01:08:00,826
"The only guarantee I can give
you is that if you don't dive,
910
01:08:00,826 --> 01:08:05,247
"everyone will die.
I don't envy you, sir.
911
01:08:05,247 --> 01:08:07,040
"Both choices are terrible,
912
01:08:07,040 --> 01:08:09,668
"but one is worse
than the other."
913
01:08:17,593 --> 01:08:19,636
[RICK]
Still the following morning,
914
01:08:19,678 --> 01:08:20,762
we didn't have the go-ahead,
915
01:08:20,804 --> 01:08:23,849
but we came up
with the actual logistical plan,
916
01:08:23,890 --> 01:08:28,895
the real nuts and bolts
of how it was going to work.
917
01:08:29,896 --> 01:08:32,024
How we were going
to transport the boys,
918
01:08:32,065 --> 01:08:34,943
how we're going
to package them.
919
01:08:34,985 --> 01:08:38,113
The cylinder was going to go
on the front of the child,
920
01:08:38,155 --> 01:08:38,739
not the back.
921
01:08:38,780 --> 01:08:41,325
[RICHARD] So that when
they were floating face down,
922
01:08:41,366 --> 01:08:43,243
that tank would act
like a keel.
923
01:08:43,285 --> 01:08:47,205
[RICK] We worked out that you
needed positive pressure masks,
924
01:08:47,247 --> 01:08:50,959
so if you made a leak, it would
go outwards and not inwards.
925
01:08:51,001 --> 01:08:54,630
And the Americans happened
to have four of these masks.
926
01:08:54,671 --> 01:08:57,299
[CHRIS] So that meant
we had to go in multiple times.
927
01:08:57,341 --> 01:08:59,968
We had to go in every day
for three days.
928
01:09:00,010 --> 01:09:02,638
[JOHN] There was a demonstration
that was done.
929
01:09:02,679 --> 01:09:04,848
The Americans called
it a ROC drill.
930
01:09:04,890 --> 01:09:08,352
[DEREK] A big drill called
a rehearsal of concept.
931
01:09:08,393 --> 01:09:12,356
[JOHN] We kind of simulated
the extraction as best we could.
932
01:09:18,820 --> 01:09:19,946
If the water comes up...
933
01:09:19,946 --> 01:09:21,948
[JOHN] It was useful,
but it was more useful
934
01:09:21,948 --> 01:09:24,326
for people making the decisions.
They suddenly realised,
935
01:09:24,368 --> 01:09:26,912
there is some method
to the madness
936
01:09:26,953 --> 01:09:30,207
and maybe we could pull it off.
937
01:09:30,832 --> 01:09:33,794
One of the foreign affairs guys
from Australia
938
01:09:33,835 --> 01:09:34,961
came up to me and said,
939
01:09:35,003 --> 01:09:37,839
"Look, in the interests
of full disclosure,
940
01:09:37,881 --> 01:09:40,884
"I just need to tell you that
if something goes wrong
941
01:09:40,926 --> 01:09:43,428
during the rescue,
it's not impossible that
942
01:09:43,470 --> 01:09:46,264
you could end up
in the Thai judicial system."
943
01:09:46,598 --> 01:09:48,141
I said, "Wait,
you mean imprisonment?"
944
01:09:48,141 --> 01:09:50,519
And he said, "Yeah, that's
sort of worst case scenario
945
01:09:50,519 --> 01:09:52,771
"and the rules here
are pretty harsh."
946
01:09:53,105 --> 01:09:54,481
[SVASTI]
If things had gone wrong,
947
01:09:54,523 --> 01:10:00,195
public opinion would have turned
against them very quickly.
948
01:10:00,362 --> 01:10:03,532
[RICK] There was
an extraction plan in place.
949
01:10:03,573 --> 01:10:06,660
To put us in a van, drive us
cross-country on back roads
950
01:10:06,702 --> 01:10:11,665
to the embassy compound,
so all very James Bond-esque.
951
01:10:11,707 --> 01:10:14,042
[TV REPORTER] There is
a green privacy screen
952
01:10:14,084 --> 01:10:15,168
that has now been put up,
953
01:10:15,210 --> 01:10:16,628
blocking the entrance
to the cave,
954
01:10:16,670 --> 01:10:19,756
so this is perhaps another
indication that this rescue
955
01:10:19,798 --> 01:10:22,467
could be incredibly close.
956
01:10:23,301 --> 01:10:25,095
[THUNDER]
957
01:10:25,554 --> 01:10:28,765
It was about 2am that the
Minister for the Interior said,
958
01:10:28,807 --> 01:10:31,685
"Okay, assume the plan
is going ahead tomorrow
959
01:10:31,727 --> 01:10:34,813
and we'll give you
the green light in the morning."
960
01:10:35,897 --> 01:10:37,983
[FIONA] We had a debrief
every night
961
01:10:38,024 --> 01:10:41,778
and on the night before
the first rescue day,
962
01:10:41,820 --> 01:10:47,284
which incidentally was
our 28th wedding anniversary,
963
01:10:47,325 --> 01:10:48,910
but I spoke to him that night
964
01:10:48,952 --> 01:10:50,829
and he outlined
what they were gonna do.
965
01:10:50,871 --> 01:10:53,373
It was a terrible conversation
'cause he said,
966
01:10:53,415 --> 01:10:55,250
"I don't think it'll work,
967
01:10:55,292 --> 01:10:59,379
"I think they'll probably drown
under anaesthetic.”
968
01:10:59,755 --> 01:11:03,425
[RICHARD] I slept very badly
that night, lying in bed.
969
01:11:03,467 --> 01:11:06,678
I thought, "Who am I
to take this chance
970
01:11:06,720 --> 01:11:08,263
"to get the kids out this way?"
971
01:11:08,305 --> 01:11:11,850
But to walk away
and leave them in there,
972
01:11:11,892 --> 01:11:15,854
that's impossible,
you can't do it.
973
01:11:15,896 --> 01:11:18,064
The other thing that gave me
the courage
974
01:11:18,106 --> 01:11:20,942
to go through with this
was my dad.
975
01:11:20,984 --> 01:11:24,279
Dad was a doctor,
he was a vascular surgeon.
976
01:11:24,321 --> 01:11:25,363
The thing
I've got from my father
977
01:11:25,405 --> 01:11:29,117
more than anything was
the way to treat other people.
978
01:11:29,159 --> 01:11:32,662
You know, he was
a very generous man.
979
01:11:32,704 --> 01:11:34,122
It was a good lesson to me
980
01:11:34,164 --> 01:11:38,960
to try and treat people
the way he did.
981
01:11:52,891 --> 01:11:54,768
[TV REPORTER] Reporters say
they've been ordered
982
01:11:54,768 --> 01:11:55,644
to get back.
983
01:11:55,644 --> 01:11:57,187
[TV REPORTER] There are rumours
floating around the camp
984
01:11:57,187 --> 01:11:59,898
that this rescue could even be
happening as soon as today.
985
01:11:59,898 --> 01:12:03,151
[TV REPORTER] The relatives can
only watch and wait anxiously.
986
01:12:03,193 --> 01:12:06,905
[TV REPORTER] Thai medical teams
are running rescue drills,
987
01:12:06,947 --> 01:12:07,864
practising carrying...
988
01:12:07,906 --> 01:12:10,283
[RICHARD] I got the Thai
medical people overnight
989
01:12:10,283 --> 01:12:13,453
to prepare all the drugs
into pre-filled syringes.
990
01:12:13,495 --> 01:12:15,705
I had to basically teach
the rest of the divers
991
01:12:15,747 --> 01:12:19,334
how to top up the child
with another injection.
992
01:12:19,376 --> 01:12:21,628
[CHRIS] The boys were gonna be
sedated in the final chamber,
993
01:12:21,670 --> 01:12:25,590
but it would take more than
two hours to dive them out,
994
01:12:25,632 --> 01:12:27,259
so that sedative
would wear off.
995
01:12:27,300 --> 01:12:32,556
It would be necessary for us
to re-administer that sedative.
996
01:12:32,597 --> 01:12:35,475
[RICHARD] So we had
a little anaesthesia 101 class.
997
01:12:35,517 --> 01:12:37,727
I basically just said
stick it in their leg,
998
01:12:37,769 --> 01:12:40,146
preferably in the outside
of their thigh,
999
01:12:40,188 --> 01:12:41,398
jab it through the wetsuit
1000
01:12:41,439 --> 01:12:44,150
and it doesn't matter
if you hit the bone.
1001
01:12:44,192 --> 01:12:45,861
Nothing can possibly go wrong.
1002
01:12:45,902 --> 01:12:47,988
Once again,
lying through my teeth,
1003
01:12:48,029 --> 01:12:51,950
just to really give
them the courage to do it.
1004
01:12:54,828 --> 01:12:58,164
[PRAYING]
1005
01:13:10,927 --> 01:13:13,430
[SUPERVISOR]
I have ten divers
1006
01:13:13,471 --> 01:13:15,974
ready to go
in the next 30 minutes.
1007
01:13:16,016 --> 01:13:18,602
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
1008
01:13:20,687 --> 01:13:22,898
[MITCH] The ropes team
will consist of
1009
01:13:22,939 --> 01:13:24,941
6 Americans, 5 Australians,
1010
01:13:24,983 --> 01:13:30,530
5 Chinese and 6 rope
specialist civilians.
1011
01:13:30,572 --> 01:13:31,197
[MAN] Chamber 3,
1012
01:13:31,239 --> 01:13:35,869
there will be
an entire national coordination.
1013
01:13:40,165 --> 01:13:43,460
[MITCH] We cordoned off
our section of Chamber 3.
1014
01:13:43,501 --> 01:13:49,132
We brought in 15 body bags
in case things did go south.
1015
01:13:54,471 --> 01:13:57,557
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
1016
01:14:01,937 --> 01:14:04,606
[CHRIS] I went straight
to the end of the cave,
1017
01:14:04,648 --> 01:14:09,361
along with Jason
and John and Harry.
1018
01:14:09,569 --> 01:14:11,821
[RICHARD] We all knew
our position in the cave
1019
01:14:11,863 --> 01:14:15,408
and went in
roughly in that order.
1020
01:14:17,202 --> 01:14:20,288
[DRAMATIC MUSIC CONTINUES]
1021
01:14:51,569 --> 01:14:53,530
[JASON] I got
the first boy ready
1022
01:14:53,571 --> 01:14:56,199
with the help of the SEALS.
1023
01:14:56,241 --> 01:15:00,745
You need to put this hood on,
put this buoyancy jacket over,
1024
01:15:00,787 --> 01:15:06,084
put these bungee cords round,
ready for the cylinder.
1025
01:15:12,716 --> 01:15:15,635
[RICHARD] It was a very simple
combination of drugs
1026
01:15:15,677 --> 01:15:18,638
that I came up with.
1027
01:15:20,223 --> 01:15:21,307
Xanax was the tablet,
1028
01:15:21,349 --> 01:15:25,895
which has a very strong
anti-anxiety effect.
1029
01:15:25,937 --> 01:15:27,230
Dr. Bhak had given
1030
01:15:27,272 --> 01:15:29,858
the first tablet
to the first kid.
1031
01:15:42,746 --> 01:15:46,082
[RICHARD] So I injected
the atropine into one leg first,
1032
01:15:46,124 --> 01:15:48,752
which has an anti-salivation
side-effect,
1033
01:15:48,793 --> 01:15:52,881
because they could drown in
their own saliva, potentially.
1034
01:15:52,922 --> 01:15:55,341
And then pretty much straight
away followed it up
1035
01:15:55,383 --> 01:15:58,178
with the injection
of ketamine in the other leg,
1036
01:15:58,219 --> 01:16:01,222
which is
the general anaesthetic drug.
1037
01:16:01,264 --> 01:16:03,600
I'd hold up the syringe
in front of them
1038
01:16:03,641 --> 01:16:05,477
and pat their leg
to let them know
1039
01:16:05,518 --> 01:16:08,354
they're about
to get an injection.
1040
01:16:19,115 --> 01:16:20,617
[RICHARD]
Once they were unconscious,
1041
01:16:20,658 --> 01:16:25,288
it was basically trying to put
a mask on a rag doll.
1042
01:16:25,914 --> 01:16:30,376
I didn't feel comfortable
in any way, shape or form
1043
01:16:30,418 --> 01:16:31,586
about what we were doing.
1044
01:16:31,628 --> 01:16:33,379
There were two things
that were really powerful.
1045
01:16:33,421 --> 01:16:37,842
That is pushing someone's face
underwater who is unconscious,
1046
01:16:37,884 --> 01:16:41,262
and then tying their hands
behind their back.
1047
01:16:41,304 --> 01:16:44,641
Both those things
feel very, very wrong.
1048
01:16:44,682 --> 01:16:49,229
Um...
Felt like euthanasia to me.
1049
01:16:50,271 --> 01:16:51,648
Mm.
1050
01:16:54,734 --> 01:16:57,487
On that first trip, Jason
yelled back to me and said,
1051
01:16:57,529 --> 01:17:00,365
"Oh, Harry, he's not
breathing very much"
1052
01:17:00,406 --> 01:17:04,035
and I told the guys,
"This is a one way trip.
1053
01:17:04,077 --> 01:17:05,370
"Once you start,
you cannot stop.
1054
01:17:05,411 --> 01:17:09,040
"You can't come back to me
'cause there's nothing I can do.
1055
01:17:09,082 --> 01:17:11,376
"If you end up taking a body
out of the cave,
1056
01:17:11,417 --> 01:17:15,463
"then that's what
you're taking out of a cave."
1057
01:17:26,141 --> 01:17:32,272
[RICK] In Chamber 8, it felt
like we were waiting forever.
1058
01:17:33,064 --> 01:17:40,864
Suddenly the line twitched
and Jason comes up with a child.
1059
01:17:41,406 --> 01:17:44,534
I'm looking for a breath.
1060
01:17:44,576 --> 01:17:45,785
[CRAIG] I can only say that
1061
01:17:45,827 --> 01:17:50,373
there was just
this huge tension in the air.
1062
01:17:52,250 --> 01:17:53,543
The fact that
he was still alive,
1063
01:17:53,585 --> 01:17:57,797
it was just like a weight had
been lifted off my shoulders.
1064
01:17:57,839 --> 01:18:02,177
But that was only 300m,
they still had 1.5km
1065
01:18:02,218 --> 01:18:04,012
to get out of the cave.
1066
01:18:04,053 --> 01:18:06,055
[JASON] And then he actually
started twitching,
1067
01:18:06,097 --> 01:18:09,976
moving the fingers.
He looked a bit like a zombie.
1068
01:18:10,018 --> 01:18:12,145
Our eyes were agog with this.
1069
01:18:12,187 --> 01:18:15,857
We gave him another injection
there and we transported him
1070
01:18:15,899 --> 01:18:20,403
over the dry chamber
to the next flooded section.
1071
01:18:24,407 --> 01:18:27,911
[RICHARD] John took
the second child.
1072
01:18:28,119 --> 01:18:31,164
[CHRIS] I remember John
looked at me and he said,
1073
01:18:31,206 --> 01:18:32,999
"What's his name?"
1074
01:18:33,041 --> 01:18:34,375
"I don't know, John."
1075
01:18:34,417 --> 01:18:37,128
[JOHN] I was nervous.
I would go further than that.
1076
01:18:37,170 --> 01:18:40,882
I would say
I was shitting myself.
1077
01:18:41,090 --> 01:18:45,345
As I swam him out, I just
remember feeling ownership
1078
01:18:45,386 --> 01:18:51,559
and determination that I'd make
damn sure my child survived.
1079
01:18:53,811 --> 01:18:57,232
[RICHARD]
Chris took the third child.
1080
01:18:57,357 --> 01:19:01,319
[CHRIS] You couldn't see
your hand in front of your face
1081
01:19:01,361 --> 01:19:03,363
and occasionally
you'll get a glimpse
1082
01:19:03,404 --> 01:19:05,573
of something through the murk.
1083
01:19:05,615 --> 01:19:07,784
I remember trying
to wriggle through holes
1084
01:19:07,825 --> 01:19:10,787
that I couldn't wriggle through,
finding a bigger space
1085
01:19:10,828 --> 01:19:14,707
and then that repeating
again and again.
1086
01:19:15,583 --> 01:19:17,710
[JASON] After the first
submerged section,
1087
01:19:17,710 --> 01:19:21,464
I carried on out
with the lad that I had.
1088
01:19:21,631 --> 01:19:27,720
I surfaced in a deep water canal
and there was no dry land,
1089
01:19:27,720 --> 01:19:31,641
but he was starting
twitching again,
1090
01:19:34,477 --> 01:19:38,731
so I got the vials
of ketamine out.
1091
01:19:40,441 --> 01:19:45,321
My hands are shaking 'cause I've
never given an injection before.
1092
01:19:45,655 --> 01:19:47,156
I managed to get
one of the vials,
1093
01:19:47,198 --> 01:19:49,659
got a separate needle,
took it out of its holder,
1094
01:19:49,701 --> 01:19:51,035
stabbed myself in the finger.
1095
01:19:51,077 --> 01:19:53,621
I'm lucky that's not connected
to the vial of ketamine,
1096
01:19:53,663 --> 01:19:58,251
otherwise there'd be two bodies
floating on the surface.
1097
01:19:58,459 --> 01:20:00,712
Gave him that injection.
1098
01:20:00,753 --> 01:20:04,257
Sure enough,
he had stopped twitching.
1099
01:20:15,226 --> 01:20:16,686
[JOSH]
John came into the chamber
1100
01:20:16,728 --> 01:20:20,898
and the child didn't appear
to be breathing right.
1101
01:20:21,190 --> 01:20:24,610
[JOHN] I had to change
the oxygen cylinders
1102
01:20:24,652 --> 01:20:25,403
for the child.
1103
01:20:25,445 --> 01:20:28,906
I couldn't get him breathing
again with the mask on.
1104
01:20:28,948 --> 01:20:31,200
[MAN] Take the mask off.
1105
01:20:31,242 --> 01:20:33,828
[JOSH] I did take the mask off
and it did improve
1106
01:20:33,870 --> 01:20:37,332
Then we'd put the mask back on
and it would get worse again.
1107
01:20:37,373 --> 01:20:40,793
[JOHN] And this went on
for a couple of times.
1108
01:20:42,045 --> 01:20:43,921
[JOSH]
John was really worried.
1109
01:20:43,963 --> 01:20:46,424
[JOHN]
I wanted to bolt for the exit
1110
01:20:46,466 --> 01:20:48,551
and it would have been finished.
1111
01:20:48,593 --> 01:20:50,845
It really felt like
a sheer act of will
1112
01:20:50,887 --> 01:20:54,057
because every fibre
in my being wanted to be out,
1113
01:20:54,098 --> 01:20:56,142
but I knew
that I couldn't do that,
1114
01:20:56,184 --> 01:20:59,062
because I knew I'd end up
with a corpse at the end,
1115
01:20:59,103 --> 01:21:01,606
rather than a child.
1116
01:21:02,273 --> 01:21:04,734
[JOSH] By the time
John left with the kid,
1117
01:21:04,776 --> 01:21:08,112
it looked like we did fix it.
1118
01:21:17,705 --> 01:21:20,792
[JASON] When you got back
to the final flooded section,
1119
01:21:20,833 --> 01:21:23,378
that was always
the hardest sump to go through.
1120
01:21:23,419 --> 01:21:27,757
You couldn't fit through
with a kid on either side.
1121
01:21:30,051 --> 01:21:31,886
You had to push him
through first
1122
01:21:31,928 --> 01:21:35,139
and then you went
through after him.
1123
01:21:35,181 --> 01:21:37,600
And then, as you approached
Chamber 3,
1124
01:21:37,642 --> 01:21:40,937
you'd hear
the humming of the pumps.
1125
01:21:44,857 --> 01:21:46,317
I surfaced with a boy.
1126
01:21:46,359 --> 01:21:49,904
A dozen hands there ready
to take the child off you,
1127
01:21:49,946 --> 01:21:53,491
straight into another stretcher.
1128
01:21:59,122 --> 01:22:02,291
- [RESCUER] 30 kilos!
- [RESCUER 2] 30 kilos.
1129
01:22:02,333 --> 01:22:05,336
[DEREK] Kid number one's
alive, breathing.
1130
01:22:05,378 --> 01:22:08,506
I think that was
a huge morale boost.
1131
01:22:08,548 --> 01:22:11,759
[RESCUE TEAM]
Ready, one, two, three.
1132
01:22:31,737 --> 01:22:36,534
[JOHN] I surfaced in Chamber 3
with my child.
1133
01:22:36,576 --> 01:22:37,452
Relief.
1134
01:22:37,493 --> 01:22:41,414
[RESCUE TEAM]
One, two, three, pull.
1135
01:22:41,664 --> 01:22:50,173
[MAN]
Pull! Pull! Pull! Pull!
1136
01:22:56,387 --> 01:22:58,848
[APPLAUSE]
1137
01:23:01,893 --> 01:23:04,937
[CHEERS]
1138
01:23:16,282 --> 01:23:18,951
[APPLAUSE]
1139
01:23:24,874 --> 01:23:26,167
[TV REPORTER]
There are reports,
1140
01:23:26,167 --> 01:23:28,586
I must stress
they are unconfirmed,
1141
01:23:28,586 --> 01:23:32,048
that two boys have now emerged from the cave.
1142
01:23:32,173 --> 01:23:33,549
[TV REPORTER]
Just seconds ago,
1143
01:23:33,549 --> 01:23:35,176
we saw another ambulance
going in.
1144
01:23:35,176 --> 01:23:38,179
Perhaps a third
will be extracted.
1145
01:23:39,180 --> 01:23:41,557
[CHRIS] I arrived with my boy.
1146
01:23:41,599 --> 01:23:45,228
Handed this
precious cargo off.
1147
01:23:47,772 --> 01:23:49,023
I remember John saying to me,
1148
01:23:49,065 --> 01:23:52,360
"We've got three for three.
Amazing! Three for three."
1149
01:23:52,401 --> 01:23:54,362
And he looks at me and said,
"Come on, Stanton,
1150
01:23:54,403 --> 01:23:58,282
"don't [BLEEP] it up.
We gotta get four for four."
1151
01:23:58,324 --> 01:24:00,201
[RICHARD]
Rick took the last child
1152
01:24:00,243 --> 01:24:02,620
and he's heading
out of the cave,
1153
01:24:02,662 --> 01:24:04,247
I said to Dr. Bhak,
1154
01:24:04,288 --> 01:24:07,708
"Well, that's it,
let's do four tomorrow."
1155
01:24:27,728 --> 01:24:29,772
[RICHARD] As I swam
out to Chamber 8,
1156
01:24:29,814 --> 01:24:35,403
completely zero visibility,
my hands running along the rope.
1157
01:24:35,695 --> 01:24:37,738
Suddenly I put my hand
on something
1158
01:24:37,780 --> 01:24:41,242
that felt like a dead fish.
1159
01:24:41,367 --> 01:24:44,787
Craig and Rick
were looking quite anxious
1160
01:24:44,829 --> 01:24:47,039
saying, "Quick, get out,
1161
01:24:47,039 --> 01:24:49,250
"we don't think
this kid's breathing."
1162
01:24:49,292 --> 01:24:50,293
I quickly got my gear off.
1163
01:24:50,334 --> 01:24:54,422
I thought, "Well, this is it,
the first one's died."
1164
01:24:54,589 --> 01:24:58,884
He looked pretty blue.
Very cold and lifeless
1165
01:24:58,926 --> 01:25:03,848
and I actually couldn't convince
myself that he was breathing.
1166
01:25:03,889 --> 01:25:06,142
I was about to start
mouth to mouth,
1167
01:25:06,183 --> 01:25:09,729
but just before I did,
I gave his jaw a real hard push
1168
01:25:09,770 --> 01:25:10,730
to open his airway a bit
1169
01:25:10,771 --> 01:25:14,066
and he actually started
breathing with that.
1170
01:25:14,066 --> 01:25:15,443
But I still was
really worried.
1171
01:25:15,484 --> 01:25:20,072
I still couldn't conceive
that this child would make it.
1172
01:25:21,907 --> 01:25:23,743
[RICK] It was like
that the whole way,
1173
01:25:23,784 --> 01:25:27,747
between two and a half
and three hours.
1174
01:25:28,039 --> 01:25:31,083
Just for my own sanity,
I would roll him over
1175
01:25:31,083 --> 01:25:32,835
so I could look into his face.
1176
01:25:32,877 --> 01:25:39,216
He looked asleep, except
he happened to be under water.
1177
01:25:42,428 --> 01:25:43,804
The moment you surface,
1178
01:25:43,846 --> 01:25:48,225
a fantastic sense of elation
and achievement.
1179
01:26:03,115 --> 01:26:05,785
[SIRENS]
1180
01:26:06,243 --> 01:26:08,329
[CHRIS] There was a sense
of disbelief
1181
01:26:08,371 --> 01:26:10,122
that this technique worked.
1182
01:26:10,122 --> 01:26:12,249
[TV REPORTER] Four of
the young soccer players
1183
01:26:12,291 --> 01:26:14,168
trapped in that cave
in Thailand are out.
1184
01:26:14,210 --> 01:26:18,089
[TV REPORTER] So eight boys
and their coach remain trapped.
1185
01:26:18,130 --> 01:26:21,467
Their lives still
hanging in the balance.
1186
01:26:21,509 --> 01:26:22,510
This isn't over.
1187
01:26:22,551 --> 01:26:24,762
[CHRIS] We'd just pulled off
something we thought
1188
01:26:24,804 --> 01:26:26,972
was unbelievable
and incredible.
1189
01:26:27,014 --> 01:26:29,725
We had to do it twice more.
1190
01:26:39,610 --> 01:26:41,153
[TV REPORTER] Breaking news
is out of Thailand.
1191
01:26:41,570 --> 01:26:44,156
[TV REPORTER] A boy was seen
transported on a stretcher.
1192
01:26:44,156 --> 01:26:45,700
[TV REPORTER]
The fifth boy to be rescued,
1193
01:26:45,741 --> 01:26:48,244
one boy was taken
from the cave this morning.
1194
01:26:48,285 --> 01:26:50,037
[TV REPORTER]
Right there is an ambulance
1195
01:26:50,079 --> 01:26:51,997
that we believe to be
carrying that sixth boy.
1196
01:26:52,039 --> 01:26:54,125
[TV REPORTER] This operation
is being executed
1197
01:26:54,166 --> 01:26:55,292
extremely smoothly.
1198
01:26:55,418 --> 01:26:57,545
[TV REPORTER]
That appears to be the seventh.
1199
01:26:57,878 --> 01:26:58,713
[TV REPORTER]
The boys are coming out.
1200
01:26:58,713 --> 01:26:59,588
[TV REPORTER] it's not the seventh child.
[TV REPORTER] The boys are coming out.
1201
01:26:59,588 --> 01:27:01,173
[TV REPORTER]
It's not the seventh child.
1202
01:27:01,173 --> 01:27:02,049
It is the eighth child!
1203
01:27:02,091 --> 01:27:04,051
[TV REPORTER]
Wild Boar eight, out.
1204
01:27:04,093 --> 01:27:06,095
[TV REPORTER] It's one more day
on the weather...
1205
01:27:06,137 --> 01:27:08,472
The last several days
they've had enormous luck.
1206
01:27:08,514 --> 01:27:11,767
These monsoon rains
seem to have held off.
1207
01:27:12,810 --> 01:27:15,479
But the forecasts
we kept getting were,
1208
01:27:15,521 --> 01:27:18,899
it's gonna rain imminently.
1209
01:27:18,941 --> 01:27:21,777
And it did.
1210
01:27:22,862 --> 01:27:25,489
[VERN] It lashed it down.
1211
01:27:25,531 --> 01:27:26,157
It never stopped.
1212
01:27:26,198 --> 01:27:30,828
[TV REPORTER] These rains will
flood the caves very quickly.
1213
01:27:30,870 --> 01:27:32,329
[THUNDER]
1214
01:27:32,371 --> 01:27:34,665
[JOHN] We spent the night
listening to the rain.
1215
01:27:34,707 --> 01:27:37,251
It was really,
really hammering down.
1216
01:27:37,293 --> 01:27:41,255
Wondering what was
gonna happen in the cave.
1217
01:27:41,297 --> 01:27:42,298
[CHIME BELLS]
1218
01:27:42,339 --> 01:27:45,551
[RICHARD] It's the only time
I've ever seen Rick and John
1219
01:27:45,593 --> 01:27:46,802
look anxious,
1220
01:27:46,844 --> 01:27:51,265
which was actually starting
to unsettle Craig and me.
1221
01:27:51,307 --> 01:27:54,185
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
1222
01:28:00,191 --> 01:28:01,525
[JASON]
We got up in the morning
1223
01:28:01,567 --> 01:28:05,154
and the whole place
was just awash with water.
1224
01:28:05,196 --> 01:28:08,783
[RICK] We worried that the dams
that diverted the water
1225
01:28:08,824 --> 01:28:10,743
would be breached.
1226
01:28:10,785 --> 01:28:13,162
We couldn't hold off forever.
1227
01:28:13,204 --> 01:28:16,791
[THANET] The water diversion
will not last.
1228
01:28:16,832 --> 01:28:20,377
That's gonna destroy everything.
1229
01:28:21,253 --> 01:28:24,882
When we got to our pre-dive
briefing in the morning,
1230
01:28:24,924 --> 01:28:26,383
some of the guys
were saying,
1231
01:28:26,425 --> 01:28:28,511
"Should we be going
into the cave?
1232
01:28:28,552 --> 01:28:29,804
"Should we be
risking our lives?"
1233
01:28:29,845 --> 01:28:33,140
Then there were others saying,
"What if we didn't go in today
1234
01:28:33,182 --> 01:28:36,644
"and then tomorrow
there was no more opportunity?"
1235
01:28:36,685 --> 01:28:40,064
I felt like I had to shut
that down really quickly.
1236
01:28:40,105 --> 01:28:41,982
We just got up and walked
straight to the cave
1237
01:28:42,024 --> 01:28:47,988
and everybody else followed,
so that was the decision made.
1238
01:28:48,447 --> 01:28:51,116
[RICHARD] So we realised
we were going to attempt
1239
01:28:51,158 --> 01:28:54,286
five people on the last day.
1240
01:28:57,623 --> 01:28:59,124
[JIM]
Before heading into the cave,
1241
01:28:59,166 --> 01:29:04,421
the decision was made that
I would be the one to bring out,
1242
01:29:04,463 --> 01:29:06,674
the first child that day.
1243
01:29:06,715 --> 01:29:10,261
As I was swimming,
my mind was in overdrive.
1244
01:29:10,302 --> 01:29:12,763
"Oh, my God,
am I gonna be good enough?
1245
01:29:12,805 --> 01:29:16,642
"What about the parents
and the friends in the cave?"
1246
01:29:16,684 --> 01:29:18,352
It's a huge burden.
1247
01:29:18,394 --> 01:29:20,020
If they die,
it's gonna tear me apart.
1248
01:29:20,062 --> 01:29:24,650
Am I gonna start drinking,
you know, go off the rails.
1249
01:29:25,401 --> 01:29:27,069
I was given the coach.
1250
01:29:27,111 --> 01:29:28,988
As soon as I was holding him,
1251
01:29:29,029 --> 01:29:33,409
I switched
to getting the job done.
1252
01:29:40,624 --> 01:29:44,003
Everything was
going quite well.
1253
01:29:44,086 --> 01:29:47,548
I remember those last few
minutes, thinking to myself,
1254
01:29:47,590 --> 01:29:50,509
"I'm nearly there,
what am I gonna do?"
1255
01:29:50,551 --> 01:29:53,554
'Cause I was pretty close
to my threshold.
1256
01:29:53,596 --> 01:29:57,182
"Am I gonna start crying
when I deliver him?"
1257
01:30:15,868 --> 01:30:17,995
[MAN] Are you okay,
everything, you're okay?
1258
01:30:18,037 --> 01:30:22,374
- [MAN] Yes, sir.
- [MAN] Thank you. Okay, okay.
1259
01:30:27,212 --> 01:30:29,965
[MAN] No, no, no!
1260
01:30:36,847 --> 01:30:39,892
[JIM] John arrived after me,
then Rick arrived
1261
01:30:39,934 --> 01:30:42,853
and Chris was
due to come out next.
1262
01:30:42,895 --> 01:30:44,980
Kept waiting and waiting
and waiting
1263
01:30:45,022 --> 01:30:48,359
and he just didn't come.
1264
01:30:49,151 --> 01:30:53,697
[CHRIS] I got all the way back
to the final underwater section,
1265
01:30:53,739 --> 01:30:55,532
the most awkward section.
1266
01:30:55,574 --> 01:30:57,618
Got the boy with me
at this point,
1267
01:30:57,660 --> 01:31:00,746
you know, my precious cargo.
1268
01:31:01,288 --> 01:31:02,790
[RICK] It's not a normal place
1269
01:31:02,831 --> 01:31:04,375
to have a line above you
like that,
1270
01:31:04,416 --> 01:31:06,293
so he'd have been on his side,
child in one hand,
1271
01:31:06,335 --> 01:31:09,713
line in the other above you.
Quite an awkward position.
1272
01:31:09,755 --> 01:31:12,716
And then something
on that last day changed
1273
01:31:12,758 --> 01:31:16,136
and we all had problems
in that section.
1274
01:31:16,178 --> 01:31:18,138
[CHRIS] Just as I was going
round one of the corners,
1275
01:31:18,180 --> 01:31:22,768
I needed to transfer the rope
from one hand to another hand,
1276
01:31:22,810 --> 01:31:26,355
but it just pinged
away from my hand.
1277
01:31:30,943 --> 01:31:32,861
This precious line that ensures
1278
01:31:32,903 --> 01:31:36,240
that we're gonna get out
the water in one piece,
1279
01:31:36,281 --> 01:31:37,908
the thing you never lose,
1280
01:31:37,950 --> 01:31:40,411
the thing you never let go of,
1281
01:31:40,452 --> 01:31:43,330
I managed to let go of.
1282
01:31:43,372 --> 01:31:47,626
I didn't know if the boy
might run out of gas.
1283
01:31:57,386 --> 01:32:00,639
[JASON] There's just myself
and Dr. Harris in the water
1284
01:32:00,681 --> 01:32:01,265
in Chamber 9.
1285
01:32:01,306 --> 01:32:03,642
Everybody else had
gone out by this point.
1286
01:32:03,684 --> 01:32:06,353
[RICHARD] I thought the smallest
child had already gone,
1287
01:32:06,395 --> 01:32:11,191
but the last kid to walk down
the hill was this boy,
1288
01:32:11,233 --> 01:32:14,278
Mark, who was 29 kilos.
1289
01:32:14,319 --> 01:32:17,364
Mark, who was by far
the most small-faced,
1290
01:32:17,406 --> 01:32:18,449
petite kid of them all.
1291
01:32:18,490 --> 01:32:21,076
[JASON] We looked at
each other and thought,
1292
01:32:21,118 --> 01:32:24,079
that mask isn't gonna fit him.
1293
01:32:24,121 --> 01:32:26,040
We can't leave him here today
and come back tomorrow
1294
01:32:26,081 --> 01:32:29,710
'cause I don't think there's
gonna be a chance tomorrow.
1295
01:32:29,752 --> 01:32:34,798
We tried the mask and we tried
packing stuff around
1296
01:32:34,840 --> 01:32:37,593
and putting the hood under it.
1297
01:32:37,634 --> 01:32:39,720
Trying to tighten it up
as tight as possible
1298
01:32:39,762 --> 01:32:42,306
so we're literally
crushing the kid's nose,
1299
01:32:42,347 --> 01:32:46,393
but there was no way
it was gonna keep water out.
1300
01:32:46,602 --> 01:32:48,145
For some reason,
we'd brought
1301
01:32:48,187 --> 01:32:51,607
this more leisure type
full-face mask too.
1302
01:32:51,648 --> 01:32:53,358
[RICHARD]
Compared to the other ones,
1303
01:32:53,400 --> 01:32:55,277
it looked like
a little pink toy.
1304
01:32:55,319 --> 01:32:57,446
[JASON] And when we tried
cranking the straps down
1305
01:32:57,488 --> 01:33:00,949
on this leisure mask,
the seal collapsed
1306
01:33:01,158 --> 01:33:02,868
and then water entered.
1307
01:33:02,910 --> 01:33:06,830
So we backed it off, tried
again and it collapsed again.
1308
01:33:06,872 --> 01:33:08,457
It just sat on his face
and you knew that
1309
01:33:08,499 --> 01:33:13,504
if it took a sideways knock,
that would have been curtains.
1310
01:33:14,963 --> 01:33:18,967
[RICHARD] Jason, I could see,
was very unhappy about it.
1311
01:33:22,137 --> 01:33:23,806
The very last child
and I'm thinking,
1312
01:33:23,847 --> 01:33:25,682
"Poor Jason, you know,
the last kid is gonna be
1313
01:33:25,724 --> 01:33:31,188
"the one to drown and Jason's
gonna have to deal with that."
1314
01:33:31,855 --> 01:33:35,651
[JASON] I had to go
so slowly, so carefully.
1315
01:33:41,865 --> 01:33:45,786
[JIM] We were waiting and
waiting and Chris didn't come,
1316
01:33:45,828 --> 01:33:49,373
so I was quite anxious.
1317
01:33:50,541 --> 01:33:53,502
[CHRIS] Despite sweeping around
in the water
1318
01:33:53,544 --> 01:33:57,381
to try and find this rope,
I couldn't find it.
1319
01:33:57,422 --> 01:34:01,635
I kept finding
an electrical cable.
1320
01:34:01,677 --> 01:34:06,223
That electrical cable
probably goes back to Chamber 3,
1321
01:34:06,265 --> 01:34:08,183
so I started following it.
1322
01:34:08,225 --> 01:34:10,769
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
1323
01:34:10,811 --> 01:34:12,980
After, I guess,
what was ten minutes,
1324
01:34:13,021 --> 01:34:18,068
I popped up into a chamber.
I was confused.
1325
01:34:19,820 --> 01:34:22,573
I was expecting
to surface in Chamber 3
1326
01:34:22,614 --> 01:34:24,533
where the rescue workers were,
1327
01:34:24,575 --> 01:34:27,452
but I surfaced
in a chamber that was empty.
1328
01:34:27,494 --> 01:34:34,334
Hello! Hello! Hello!
1329
01:34:38,422 --> 01:34:41,300
If I've managed to find
an unknown chamber,
1330
01:34:41,341 --> 01:34:47,389
completely off the main route,
nobody's gonna come and find us.
1331
01:34:55,272 --> 01:34:58,650
[JASON] I surfaced in the last
air chamber with the child
1332
01:34:58,650 --> 01:35:01,028
and immediately in front of me
there was this apparition
1333
01:35:01,069 --> 01:35:03,530
of Chris and there was
a child at his feet
1334
01:35:03,572 --> 01:35:06,116
and my immediate thought was
we've lost one.
1335
01:35:06,158 --> 01:35:06,909
Mate, what's happened?
1336
01:35:06,950 --> 01:35:09,995
[CHRIS] When I saw Jason,
I realised I'd gone backwards
1337
01:35:10,037 --> 01:35:13,957
in the cave. I realised
I was back in Chamber 4.
1338
01:35:14,458 --> 01:35:17,127
Jason headed
into the final section
1339
01:35:17,169 --> 01:35:20,005
and then Harry appeared.
1340
01:35:20,047 --> 01:35:21,965
[RICHARD] I said, "Look, mate,
you just stay here,
1341
01:35:22,007 --> 01:35:24,593
"gather your thoughts. I'll take
the kid out the last bit.
1342
01:35:24,635 --> 01:35:28,513
"You come through
when you're ready."
1343
01:35:31,767 --> 01:35:33,810
[JASON] I heard that
humming of the pump.
1344
01:35:33,852 --> 01:35:35,687
I knew I'm nearly
at Chamber 3.
1345
01:35:35,687 --> 01:35:37,064
Just before I handed
the kid over,
1346
01:35:37,105 --> 01:35:39,441
I got a lump in my throat
"cause I knew
1347
01:35:39,483 --> 01:35:41,443
he was gonna be out alive.
1348
01:35:41,485 --> 01:35:45,781
[RESCUE TEAM]
Okay, three, two, one!
1349
01:35:49,201 --> 01:35:52,204
[RICK] When we heard Harry
was bringing Chris' boy forward,
1350
01:35:52,246 --> 01:35:54,873
I was confident in Harry
and pleased for him as well
1351
01:35:54,915 --> 01:35:58,335
that he was able
to experience that.
1352
01:35:58,377 --> 01:36:01,755
[RICHARD] There's these big guys
from the US air force there,
1353
01:36:01,797 --> 01:36:03,966
grabbing the kid off you
1354
01:36:04,007 --> 01:36:05,550
and whisking him
into a stretcher
1355
01:36:05,592 --> 01:36:10,222
and off up the hill
and then he's just gone.
1356
01:36:12,557 --> 01:36:16,520
Suddenly the mood
was just amazing.
1357
01:36:17,145 --> 01:36:20,357
Passing around a bottle
of Jack Daniel's.
1358
01:36:20,607 --> 01:36:23,110
That wasn't really allowed.
1359
01:36:23,151 --> 01:36:26,697
Bloody done this.
I can't believe it.
1360
01:36:27,072 --> 01:36:29,741
[RICHARD] I knew
the Thai Navy guys and Dr. Bhak
1361
01:36:29,741 --> 01:36:32,661
still had to come out and we
were still worried about them.
1362
01:36:32,703 --> 01:36:34,830
They still had
a challenging dive.
1363
01:36:34,871 --> 01:36:38,625
And suddenly there's this cry
of something's going wrong.
1364
01:36:38,667 --> 01:36:41,795
[MITCH] One of the main pumps
in Chamber 3 burst
1365
01:36:41,837 --> 01:36:45,590
and just started spewing
water everywhere.
1366
01:36:46,591 --> 01:36:48,552
[MIKKO] Oh, my God,
it's rising really fast
1367
01:36:48,593 --> 01:36:52,723
and we got no regulators,
we need to get out of here.
1368
01:36:53,181 --> 01:36:55,559
[MITCH] We were waiting
on just two more SEALs
1369
01:36:55,600 --> 01:36:58,186
and as that water
started to crest,
1370
01:36:58,228 --> 01:36:59,187
those SEALs came out.
1371
01:36:59,229 --> 01:37:00,981
[MIKKO]
Then the whole chamber flooded.
1372
01:37:01,023 --> 01:37:04,901
We just barely got out
by holding our breath.
1373
01:37:05,902 --> 01:37:09,031
We were saying that this must be
that the lady of the cave said,
1374
01:37:09,072 --> 01:37:12,909
"And now you guys got what you
wanted and now it's time to go."
1375
01:37:13,452 --> 01:37:16,204
[RESCUE TEAM]
Oh! Thank you!
1376
01:37:16,246 --> 01:37:21,793
JASON] And then the SEALS were
coming out right at the end.
1377
01:37:43,065 --> 01:37:44,483
[CHEERING]
1378
01:37:44,524 --> 01:37:47,652
[CHRIS] Even though we were
the spearhead to this operation,
1379
01:37:47,694 --> 01:37:52,282
there were hundreds and hundreds
of people in that cave.
1380
01:38:19,643 --> 01:38:23,897
[RICK] I'd sensed that the lady
opposite me was Titan's mother,
1381
01:38:23,939 --> 01:38:28,735
the youngest boy that I'd
brought out on that last day.
1382
01:38:29,319 --> 01:38:33,073
[MORRIS] Titan's mum said,
"On behalf of all the parents,
1383
01:38:33,115 --> 01:38:34,908
"wanna thank you
for what you've done.
1384
01:38:34,950 --> 01:38:39,955
"It's like our children had died
and been given another life
1385
01:38:40,038 --> 01:38:45,419
"and, you know,
can't thank you enough.”
1386
01:38:55,679 --> 01:38:59,015
[RICK] That's what brought home
what we'd done.
1387
01:38:59,015 --> 01:39:01,226
They had a family life
and parents.
1388
01:39:09,025 --> 01:39:12,612
[MAN] Don't forget Thailand.
This is your second home.
1389
01:39:12,654 --> 01:39:13,738
[APPLAUSE]
1390
01:39:13,738 --> 01:39:17,909
[FIONA] This amazing sense of
relief and euphoria and elation.
1391
01:39:17,909 --> 01:39:20,745
I'd had my usual
text message saying
1392
01:39:20,787 --> 01:39:25,041
"I'm out, I'll ring you
when I get back to the hotel."
1393
01:39:25,083 --> 01:39:28,003
[CHEERING]
1394
01:39:28,170 --> 01:39:31,047
[FIONA] So he finally rang.
1395
01:39:31,631 --> 01:39:33,383
And I'm just babbling.
1396
01:39:33,425 --> 01:39:35,343
I'm just completely pumped
1397
01:39:35,385 --> 01:39:37,012
full of adrenaline
at this point.
1398
01:39:37,053 --> 01:39:39,556
And I must have gone on
for ten minutes or something
1399
01:39:39,598 --> 01:39:43,226
at least and finally
I sort of draw breath
1400
01:39:43,268 --> 01:39:48,273
and then suddenly
she's burst into tears.
1401
01:39:50,609 --> 01:39:54,529
And, yeah, she tells me
my dad's just died,
1402
01:39:54,571 --> 01:39:57,532
literally a couple of hours ago.
1403
01:39:58,366 --> 01:40:00,744
So I didn't know
what to feel, you know?
1404
01:40:00,785 --> 01:40:03,788
It was this huge
swing of emotions
1405
01:40:03,830 --> 01:40:05,582
from being up here to suddenly
1406
01:40:05,624 --> 01:40:09,461
"What? How has this
possibly happened today,
1407
01:40:09,503 --> 01:40:12,631
"you know, of all days?"
1408
01:40:15,759 --> 01:40:17,010
Everyone was very sympathetic.
1409
01:40:17,052 --> 01:40:19,387
They all assumed
that I'd wanna go straight home,
1410
01:40:19,429 --> 01:40:23,391
which I thought about,
but then I thought,
1411
01:40:23,433 --> 01:40:25,435
that's actually
not gonna help me
1412
01:40:25,477 --> 01:40:27,145
and even by the end
of that first day,
1413
01:40:27,187 --> 01:40:29,898
I was already sort
of feeling better about it all
1414
01:40:29,940 --> 01:40:32,609
because Dad had
a fantastic life
1415
01:40:32,651 --> 01:40:34,694
and, you know,
he'd just died like that.
1416
01:40:34,736 --> 01:40:41,910
And I thought, well, you
couldn't ask for a better exit.
1417
01:40:42,118 --> 01:40:45,830
And so I sort of started
to see the positive side of it
1418
01:40:45,872 --> 01:40:46,623
and started to think,
1419
01:40:46,665 --> 01:40:50,168
well, this is actually
another cause for celebration.
1420
01:40:50,210 --> 01:40:55,632
You know, I was celebrating
the kids but also my dad.
1421
01:41:02,806 --> 01:41:04,683
[RESCUED CHILD]
Thank you so much.
1422
01:41:04,724 --> 01:41:08,019
[SPEAKING THAI]
1423
01:41:09,896 --> 01:41:14,234
[TV REPORTER]
Miracle piled upon miracle.
1424
01:41:25,537 --> 01:41:27,747
[SPEAKING THAI]
1425
01:41:29,666 --> 01:41:33,128
[UPLIFTING MUSIC]
1426
01:41:47,058 --> 01:41:52,981
[RICK] I think I hold a sort
of great pride in what we did.
1427
01:41:53,023 --> 01:41:58,111
You could say justification
for all the dedication
1428
01:41:58,153 --> 01:42:02,991
I put forward
into a ridiculous minority sport
1429
01:42:03,033 --> 01:42:05,327
that no one
ever took seriously.
1430
01:42:05,368 --> 01:42:07,203
Yes, it's definitely
changed my life.
1431
01:42:07,245 --> 01:42:10,498
It's made me into maybe
a more confident person.
1432
01:42:10,540 --> 01:42:12,626
[RICHARD] Last to be chosen
for the cricket team,
1433
01:42:12,667 --> 01:42:15,337
first to be chosen
for the cave rescue.
1434
01:42:15,378 --> 01:42:18,798
I did used to worry,
was I a bit too cold?
1435
01:42:18,840 --> 01:42:20,133
Was I a bit too unemotional?
1436
01:42:20,175 --> 01:42:24,346
I found a use and a purpose
to that level of detachment.
1437
01:42:24,387 --> 01:42:27,474
You can use it
to do good things.
1438
01:42:27,515 --> 01:42:30,018
[PRESENTER]
The Wild Boars.
1439
01:42:30,060 --> 01:42:33,188
[APPLAUSE]
1440
01:42:39,486 --> 01:42:42,364
[UPLIFTING MUSIC CONTINUES]
1441
01:43:09,599 --> 01:43:15,313
"He said...
you need to marry Amp."
1442
01:43:30,370 --> 01:43:35,041
[UPLIFTING MUSIC CONTINUES]
1443
01:43:52,934 --> 01:43:57,397
♪ They said it can't be done
1444
01:43:58,189 --> 01:44:03,528
♪ That this one's a challenge
you won't overcome
1445
01:44:06,781 --> 01:44:11,494
♪ I know your dreams are bold
1446
01:44:11,745 --> 01:44:17,625
♪ Keep going you'll find that
you're not on your own
1447
01:44:21,421 --> 01:44:28,178
♪ So don't give up
1448
01:44:28,219 --> 01:44:34,350
♪ And don't give in
1449
01:44:34,392 --> 01:44:37,854
♪ You've gotta believe,
believe, believe
1450
01:44:37,896 --> 01:44:41,274
♪ That anything is possible
1451
01:44:41,316 --> 01:44:44,819
♪ You've gotta believe,
believe, believe
1452
01:44:44,861 --> 01:44:48,114
♪ That anything is possible
1453
01:44:48,156 --> 01:44:51,409
♪ You've gotta keep on
and see it through
1454
01:44:51,451 --> 01:44:54,496
♪ No matter how hard
that is to do
1455
01:44:54,537 --> 01:45:02,295
♪ You've gotta believe to find
the fire that's inside you
1456
01:45:02,337 --> 01:45:07,258
♪ You've gotta believe
1457
01:45:08,968 --> 01:45:12,263
♪ So here we are
1458
01:45:13,431 --> 01:45:19,479
♪ With billions of prayers
out there floating like stars
1459
01:45:22,607 --> 01:45:26,694
♪ I know it's seems hard
1460
01:45:27,153 --> 01:45:32,075
♪ Just hold onto hope
'cause you've made it this far
1461
01:45:32,116 --> 01:45:36,704
♪ Soon you'll be
out of the dark
1462
01:45:36,746 --> 01:45:43,461
♪ So don't give up
1463
01:45:43,795 --> 01:45:49,884
♪ And don't give in
1464
01:45:49,926 --> 01:45:53,429
♪ You've gotta believe,
believe, believe
1465
01:45:53,471 --> 01:45:56,683
♪ That anything is possible
1466
01:45:56,724 --> 01:46:00,353
♪ You've gotta believe,
believe, believe
1467
01:46:00,395 --> 01:46:03,523
♪ That anything is possible
1468
01:46:03,565 --> 01:46:06,985
♪ You've gotta keep on
and see it through
1469
01:46:07,026 --> 01:46:10,113
♪ No matter how hard
that is to do
1470
01:46:10,154 --> 01:46:17,829
♪ You've gotta believe to find
the fire that's inside you
1471
01:46:17,871 --> 01:46:23,585
♪ You've gotta believe
1472
01:46:31,092 --> 01:46:34,220
♪ You've gotta keep on
and see it through
1473
01:46:34,262 --> 01:46:37,473
♪ No matter how hard
that is to do
1474
01:46:37,515 --> 01:46:45,106
♪ You've gotta believe to find
the fire that's inside you
1475
01:46:45,148 --> 01:46:48,985
♪ You've gotta believe ♪