One of the most dramatic cave rescues in history has been relived by an Aberystwyth University academic who was heavily involved in the operation.

Dr Peter Dennis, a reader in IBERS at Aberystwyth University, spoke to Aberystwyth Rotarians in his capacity as chair of the British Cave Rescue Council (BCRC), the body which had been involved in rescuing the boys at the centre of last year’s Thai cave crisis.

The story had gripped the world over 17 days last summer and it was only as a result of meticulous planning and careful collaboration between local and international teams that it had a successful outcome for the boys and their coach, albeit with the tragic death of one of the Thai rescue team.

The story began quite innocently when the boys decided to visit the show cave of Tham Luang last June, a major tourist attraction they had visited several times in the past.

Unfortunately, torrential rain associated with the early onset of the monsoon blocked their exit and forced them ever deeper into the cave complex,

The Thai authorities issued a formal invitation via the UK government to the BCRC for assistance, given their worldwide recognition as experts in cave rescues.

Dr Dennis told how over the next few days, with help from local volunteers, the Thai authorities and 30 US servicemen, the rescue efforts started to become more effective, with water being pumped out of the cave entrance in large quantities and safety ropes installed over long distances.

The boys were eventually reached on 2 July, 10 days after becoming trapped, some three kilometres into the complex.

See this week’s south papers for the full story, available in shops and as a digital edition tomorrow