Soccer team captain from Thai cave rescue dies in U.K.

London — One of 12 boys dramatically rescued from a Thai cave in 2018 has died in Britain where he was attending school on a scholarship, authorities said Wednesday. Duangpetch Promthep, 17, was the captain of the Wild Boars soccer team that was stranded in floodwaters in the cave in northern Thailand in June 2018.

The nail-biting 18-day rescue effort made headlines across the globe and has since inspired movies, documentaries and books.

Duangpetch was awarded a soccer scholarship to study at Brooke House College in Leicestershire, central England, last year.

“Today my dream came true,” Duangpetch wrote on Instagram in August. “I will focus and do my best.”

Leicestershire police said they were called to the boarding school on Sunday over concerns for the welfare of a pupil, who they did not name in line with police protocols in the U.K.

“The pupil – a 17-year-old boy – was taken to hospital. He has since died,” the force said, adding his death was “not being treated as suspicious”.

Mark Gooding, Britain’s ambassador in Bangkok, tweeted his condolences to Duangpetch’s family.

Thai charity Zico Foundation, which helped him secure the scholarship, also expressed condolences to his family on Facebook, as did a team-mate who was rescued from the cave.

Reports in Thailand said Duangpetch had slipped over and suffered a head injury, and was in hospital on a respirator for two days before he died.