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Thai cave boys recount ordeal in first public appearance

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In first public appearance, young footballers and coach recall ordeal while trapped inside flooded Thai cave

CHIANG RAI After they were trapped in a flooded cave in northern Thailand, 12 boys and their football coach tried to dig their way out.

Recalling their nine-day ordeal at a press conference yesterday, coach Ekkapol Chantawong said: "We took turns digging at the cave walls. We didn't want to wait around until (the) authorities found us."

But they soon found their efforts were to no avail.

Mr Ekkapol, who has been credited by some of the parents with keeping the boys alive, added: "Almost everyone can swim. Some aren't strong swimmers, however."

The group, who had eaten before going into the Tham Luang cave complex, did not take food on the excursion, and had to survive on water dripping from stalactites during the ordeal, he added.

"We only drank water," said one of the boys, nicknamed Tee.

The team's youngest member, Titan, added, "I had no strength. I tried not to think about food so I didn't get more hungry."

Another boy said: "I told everyone, fight on, don't despair."

Many of the boys apologised for not telling their parents about venturing into the cave, only saying that they were going for football practice.

One boy said: "When we were trapped inside, I immediately thought, 'I'm going to get scolded.'"

Asked if he thought he deserved it, he said, "Yes."

The carefully choreographed media conference, which was broadcast live in Thailand, was the first public appearance of the Wild Boars football team.

The boys, aged 11 to 16, appeared well and in good spirits after more than a week recovering in hospital.

Asked why they had gone into the cave, Mr Ekkapol, 25, said: "I was not the one who invited them into the cave. Some of the boys asked if they could go to the cave on their next trip.

"We went into the cave because everyone wanted to see it. I have been there, but some had not been there before."

He said the excursion was not to celebrate anyone's birthday, and they had intended to leave after spending an hour inside.

When they did not return, their families alerted the authorities. A rescue was organised, consisting of Thai Navy Seals and a global team of cave-diving experts.

Adul Samon, 14, recalled the moment when two British divers found them on July 2.

"When they came out of the water, I was surprised," Adul, who acted as the group's interpreter, said.

"I didn't know what to say to them. I said 'Hello', or something like that. When they said 'hello' to me, I said 'hello' back.

"It was so magical. I had to think a lot before I could answer their questions."

Their discovery triggered a rescue effort that took almost a week to prepare and three days to bring all of them to safety.

Mr Ekkapol said the choice of who would go first in the three-day rescue was not based on health but on who volunteered.

"Everyone was fine with staying back because they wanted to be with the Navy Seals because they were very close to them," he added.

One of the rescuers recounted how one of the boys who had to leave last started talking in his sleep.

"The boy was going to be among the first six rescued. But there wasn't any mask for younger boys in the first two days, so he had to wait. He was rescued only on the last day.

"On the night before he was rescued, he was disappointed, so he said in his sleep that he would like to eat congee," said the rescuer, laughing.

The boy added, laughing: "I've already eaten what I wanted to eat."

The last group reached the surface on July 10 after spending 18 days underground.

The boys, who sported crisp haircuts, have gained 3 kg each on average since the rescue, and ran through confidence-building exercises ahead of Wednesday's event, the hospital director said.

The boys and their coach said they were sad that former Thai Navy Seal Saman Kunan died in the rescue attempt.

"We would like to present our condolences to his family. We hope that he will sleep well and is in a good place. We thank him from the bottom of our hearts," the coach said.

Mr Ekkapol said the boys will be ordained as Buddhist monks in honour of Mr Saman.

Asked what have they learnt, a boy said: "I have learnt a lot from this experience. I want to be a good person for society."

Another said that he has realised that life is precious. "After this, I will live my life to the fullest and make the most of it."

Several of them said they would like to become Navy Seal divers after the experience, to applause from the audience. Most also said they want to become professional footballers.

- AFP, THE STRAITS TIMES, ABC NEWS

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