Diver back on British soil after ‘nerve-racking’ rescue of boys

A BRITISH diver has said that the moment the Thai boys were successfully rescued from the cave in which they were trapped was “electric” and an “indescribable feeling”, as he returned to his home nation.

Tim Acton, from Essex, was one of the seven British men involved in the operation to save the football team of young boys and their coach. He was one of the first people to see the boys emerge alive, as his job was to carry stretchers in and out of the cave.

The diver, 39, told The Daily Telegraph: “I helped with the extraction of their boys. It was fantastic to see them coming out.

“It was nerve-racking and tense before, but when the last kid and the coach came out, everyone was asking [how it felt]. I don’t know how to explain it, it was just electric.”

Mr Acton, who now lives in Bangkok with his family, said he has made “friends for life” with the other divers, who returned home today, and the Thai navy Seals, with whom he lived and worked at close quarters.

He spoke of how he was astounded by the bravery of the navy Seals, who he said “understood they may never come home” from the mission.

He added: “We need to remember Saman Kunan, the Thai navy Seal that died – he left a young family behind, who need help.

“I met his whole team, his whole team had worked with him since they were youngsters … They’re so selfless, unbelievable people.”

It emerged yesterday that the boys were only meant to be in the cave for an hour, after football practice, before the waters rose and trapped them.