Heroic doctor Richard Harris, last to exit Thailand cave, emerges to discover his father has died
Harris’ father died soon after the final member of the Wild Boars soccer team was rescued
An Australian doctor who looked after a young Thai football team during their harrowing cave ordeal emerged from the flooded underground complex to the sad news that his own father had died.
Richard Harris, a world-renowned medic and diver whose presence in the dramatic rescue of the Wild Boars squad was specially requested by experts, was reportedly the last person to leave the waterlogged cavern on Tuesday.
“Harry”, as he is known in the global caving community, cancelled a planned holiday and jetted in to northern Thailand as part of the international team trying to get the youngsters out of the Tham Luang cave.
Australian media said he put his own life at risk to venture four kilometres (2.5 miles) into the flooded cave to medically assess the 12 boys and their coach each day after they were found, giving final approval on their fitness to be taken out.
Broadcaster ABC said it was also Harris who decided in what order they should leave, in an operation that culminated in joy on Tuesday when Thailand’s Navy Seals declared the whole team was safely out, 18 days after the ordeal began.
Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said she understood Harris, part of a 20-strong Australian team who descended on the Chiang Rai area, was the last person to emerge from the cave late on Tuesday as the boys were recuperating in hospital.