British Soldiers Attend Royal Reception Following Thailand Cave Rescue

Cave rescue 'quite special', said Lance Corporal Connor Roe

The Duke of Cambridge has hosted a Buckingham Palace reception for the British divers who helped rescue 12 trapped boys from a cave in Thailand, including two British soldiers.

An operation was launched to reach the young footballers and their team coach after they became stranded more than two miles deep inside the Tham Luang cave network on 23 June.

They spent 18 days marooned in the dark - their exit cut off by a flash flood - before specialist dive teams guided them out one by one.

British diving experts and support workers were hailed as integral to the rescue bid, which also involved specialists from the US, Belgium, Australia and Scandinavia.

Lance Corporal Connor Roe was one of the divers hailed as "great heroes" by the Prime Minister during a Downing Street reception in July.

He told Forces News: "A rescue like this had never been attempted before.

"Cave diving itself is an incredibly complex activity.

"I didn't allow myself to relax from the rescue until everybody was out.

"Looking back on the rescue we've definitely achieved something quite special but we were all part of a very large team.

"Everybody played a critical part of that team."

Kensington Palace said Prince William will welcome members of the British team to Buckingham Palace in recognition of "the extraordinary contribution" they made to the boys' survival.

Lieutenant Colonel Toby Hamnett joined LCpl Roe at the reception after his role in coordinating the rescue from the UK.

The diving team and their coach were fitted with oxygen masks and led through the flooded tunnels using guide ropes, in an operation that ended on 10 July.