On 23 June 2018, a group of twelve boys, aged 11 to 16, from a local football team, along with their coach, became stranded in Tham Luang Nang Non cave in Thailand's Chiang Rai Province, after heavy rains partially flooded the cave during their visit.[1] They were reported missing after a few hours, and search operations were immediately commenced. Although found belongings confirmed that the group were likely in the cave, efforts to locate them were hampered by rising water levels, which blocked access to the cave's inner chambers, and no contact could be made with them for over a week. The rescue effort expanded into a massive government-led operation, amid intense media coverage and public interest.