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The Bristol IT consultant who spearheaded mission to find boys trapped in Thailand caves
“How many of you?” asks John Volanthen in a distinctive British accent in a video seen by millions around the world. “Thirteen? Brilliant.”
After nine days trapped in a flooded cave system in Thailand, the first voice that a team of young footballers and their coach heard on Monday was that of Volanthen, an IT consultant from Bristol.
More than 1,000 people have been involved in the search operation, with Volanthen and fellow volunteer Rick Stanton spearheading the mission due to their expertise in such an extreme environment.
It is believed that the pair are part of the South & Mid Wales Cave Rescue Team, who have a policy not to confirm the names of the British cave rescuers.
Volanthen, who started out as a dry caver and is a keen ultra marathon runner, pioneered new equipment that allows cave divers to stay underwater for longer and at greater depths.
Bill Whitehead, head of the British Cave Rescue Council, told the Guardian that Volanthen and Stanton “were pushing ahead with the other divers following on behind, creating dumps of air bottles”.
He said: “They managed to dive the last section and get through into the chamber where the missing party were on a ledge above the water.”
Emergency supplies and food are currently being taken to the group, with experts now working out how to get the 13 safely to the surface.
As Thailand celebrates Volanthen and his team finding the group, it is being reported that they could be in the caves for months and may have to learn to dive to get out.
Main photo courtesy of British Spartathlon
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