BANGKOK - A ceremony was held in front of the Tham Luang cave in Thailand’s Chiang Rai province on Saturday to mark the fifth anniversary of the global mission to save 12 young footballers and their coach who were stranded in a flooded cave.

Photos of former Thai Navy Seal diver Saman Kunan, who died during the mission, former Chiang Rai governor Narongsak Osatanakorn, who died on June 21, and football player Duangpetch Promthep, who died earlier in 2023 in Britain, were set up in the area to commemorate their passing.

The ceremony was presided over by Mae Sai district chief Narongpol Kid-arn and included the offering of alms to 39 monks and a religious ceremony to pay respects to spirits in the cave as well as praying for the prosperity of all those who were involved in the 2018 rescue mission.

The footballers, as well as their relatives, were present at the ceremony.

In June 2018, the world was transfixed for 18 days as an elaborate international mission unfolded to rescue the 12 members of the Wild Boars football team and their coach after they were trapped by rising waters in the Chiang Rai cave system.

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

The 200m deep Chamber 1, which visitors use to enter the complex, was the command centre for a rescue operation led by Mr Narongsak and the Thai Navy Seals.

Mr Saman, also known as “Sergeant Sam”, died on July 6, 2018, as he was trying to rescue the team.

Football player Duangpetch died on Feb 12 after collapsing at a football academy in Britain. Reports in Thailand said the 17-year-old had slipped and suffered a head injury, and was in hospital on a respirator for two days before he died.

Mr Narongsak, who was dubbed “Wild Boars Governor” for his leadership during the crisis, died at Siriraj Hospital in Bangkok from colon cancer. THE NATION/ASIA NEWS NETWORK