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Into the Cave: The Inspirational Inside Story of the Thai Soccer Team Rescue
Twelve boys and one coach; ten kilometres of tunnels; one huge rescue effort. When a team of soccer players from the Wild Boar Academy Football Club - a scrappy club of undocumented migrants and outcasts - became stranded behind rising water in a labyrinthine Thai cave system, they set in train a drama that would captivate the world.Nine days later, still trapped in the dark without food, and with only water leaking through the walls to drink, their survival seemed unlikely. Yet against the odds a team of determined divers traversed floodwaters and narrow cave-ways to locate the boys - alive and hopeful. And so began one of the most daring rescues the world has seen.ABC foreign correspondent Liam Cochrane was on the ground as the dramatic events unfolded. Using his local knowledge and firsthand connections, he puts us at the centre of the story, as we witness the boys' agonising wait, the divers' battle against muddy currents, the race to pump out flooded caves, and the work of the often-quirky international experts who flew in to help.He also reveals un-reported or little-known information about the families; the background politics; the near misses and tragedies; the burn-out; the triumph; and what the future holds for a bunch of children and their coach - whose fun excursion after soccer practice turned suddenly deadly.
320 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 16, 2018
51 people are currently reading
122 people want to read
About the author
Liam Cochrane
4 books20 followersLiam Cochrane is the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's Southeast Asia correspondent, based in Bangkok. He spent more than two weeks in Mae Sai covering the cave rescue, one of those weeks stationed outside the cave entrance in the mud.
Liam began his career in journalism in Cambodia in 2004, as a reporter, then managing editor of the Phnom Penh Post. He freelanced in Nepal for two years and returned to Melbourne to host Connect Asia on ABC Radio Australia. Before Bangkok, Liam was posted to Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea - considered the ABC's toughest correspondent position. He was the only foreign reporter on Manus Island when Australia's asylum seeker detention centre was attacked in 2014.
Liam began his career in journalism in Cambodia in 2004, as a reporter, then managing editor of the Phnom Penh Post. He freelanced in Nepal for two years and returned to Melbourne to host Connect Asia on ABC Radio Australia. Before Bangkok, Liam was posted to Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea - considered the ABC's toughest correspondent position. He was the only foreign reporter on Manus Island when Australia's asylum seeker detention centre was attacked in 2014.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
March 24, 2019
I burst out crying multiple times throughout this book. Very descriptive and emotionally charged.
May 1, 2019
The Thai Cave Rescue story of a team of 12 soccer boys and their coach.
The soccer team enjoy adventures during their time off field. Shortly before the start of the monsoon season they venture into a cave, going so far in as to be wading between the chambers. When it is time to head back they discover the way back is blocked and flooding. The water is rapidly rising. What can they do?
The plight of the team becomes a main interest across the world with many organisations and individuals rushing to assist in the rescue - a team involving rescue divers, soldiers, police, abseilers and many more. But the monsoon arrives, bringing torrents of rapids through the cave system. How will they ever escape?
The book was nicely written. No-one is exploited in getting this powerful story out. The story tells how the team were going as well as the multiple rescue efforts. The cave dynamics are explained quite well.
I followed the news when this first happened however I had no idea about the extent of the obstacles involved. It is a miracle that anyone could have survived.
I would recommend this to anyone who likes rescue stories or about communities banding together for the greater good.
The soccer team enjoy adventures during their time off field. Shortly before the start of the monsoon season they venture into a cave, going so far in as to be wading between the chambers. When it is time to head back they discover the way back is blocked and flooding. The water is rapidly rising. What can they do?
The plight of the team becomes a main interest across the world with many organisations and individuals rushing to assist in the rescue - a team involving rescue divers, soldiers, police, abseilers and many more. But the monsoon arrives, bringing torrents of rapids through the cave system. How will they ever escape?
The book was nicely written. No-one is exploited in getting this powerful story out. The story tells how the team were going as well as the multiple rescue efforts. The cave dynamics are explained quite well.
I followed the news when this first happened however I had no idea about the extent of the obstacles involved. It is a miracle that anyone could have survived.
I would recommend this to anyone who likes rescue stories or about communities banding together for the greater good.
August 6, 2021
An incredible story packed with rich detail about the rescue effort to save the boys & their coach trapped inside a flooded cave in Thailand. I had watched a documentary about it a couple of years ago so initially thought I might not get a lot more from the book, but this had so much more to tell (and remind me) about what happened, who was involved, the politics, the cave system and more. A really crazy but ultimately very uplifting story!
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February 5, 2019I just love this story and always teary when all 12 Wild Boars and the Coach get out of the cave, hooyah.
February 16, 2022
Really loved the way the author unraveled the story. The respect he showed to the rescuers, the boys and their families is noted. Very well written.
February 5, 2021
Amazing story. I had no idea how bad the odds of getting the boys out alive were and the enormous effort thousands of people went to, to save these boys lives.
February 12, 2021
Very interesting and descriptive.
October 1, 2019
This is a good insight into the complexities of the Thai cave rescue. So many people were involved all doing something extraordinary in their attempts to rescue these young boys and their coach.
You do get a sense of the difficulties they faced and how hard it would have been to get everything co-ordinated to ensure a successful outcome.
At times it is very confusing because there are so many people being named and I found it hard to keep track of who was who and what they were doing.
Because we know there was a good outcome, there is a lack of suspense in some ways.There is a sense of urgency relayed to the reader but not the suspense which would have been felt by the people involved at the actual time.
You do get a sense of the difficulties they faced and how hard it would have been to get everything co-ordinated to ensure a successful outcome.
At times it is very confusing because there are so many people being named and I found it hard to keep track of who was who and what they were doing.
Because we know there was a good outcome, there is a lack of suspense in some ways.There is a sense of urgency relayed to the reader but not the suspense which would have been felt by the people involved at the actual time.
March 5, 2020
Skip read on multiple occasions. Really an amazing story with apart from one sad exception, a great outcome. Being in Australia when the event occurred we got a biased view as to the participants but Cochrane provided a good deal more information encompassing the many people involved
September 30, 2019
Heartwarming book..Shows that cultures and Nations can come together for a common goal.
December 11, 2020
Well-documented, well-written, full of good old Aussie humour, and just honest. Reading this book really made me homesick.
January 20, 2020
“They were average kids who’d had an extraordinary misadventure. Their lives no more special than any others . . . Against all odds, they had defied the fears of even their rescuers and somehow made it out alive . . . Their journey into darkness, so close to death, had managed to unite a divided world, just for a moment” - Liam Cochrane
“It was little wonder that this story had touched the hearts of so many people around the world. It had it all: a misadventure we could all relate to; children trapped and hungry; the race against time; the water rising, falling; the world seeing it’s best and bravest; the tragedy of an unexpected death; then the dramatic rescue, playing our slowly, bit by bit; and in the end somehow pulling off what seemed impossible and giving the world a moment of much-needed happiness. At the time when the news cycle was so often full of violence, meanness and stupidity, here was something we could all get behind . . . For once, we were all on one side, United in hope. We were all on Team Wild Boars. And for just a moment, when the boys and their coach emerged from the cave, it felt like we’d all won” - Liam Cochrane
“We just went cave diving for a few days and were able to get these kids out . . . these awards have been completely unexpected and we’re just trying to emphasise how big a part so many people played in this . . . We’re just a couple of ordinary blokes with an unusual hobbie . . . The part we played has been made out to be a lot more noble that it actually was, we just consider ourselves to be lucky to have had some skills that we could contribute to the wonderful outcome” - Dr Richard Harris
“Cave diving is what we do. That bit didn’t require anything special. But what we are not used to is holding these little humans and their faith completely up to us. What we did at the time made all the difference between them surviving and not” - Craig Challen
These quotes of Dr Richard Harris and Craig Challen shows the caliber of these men who were humble and sort no accolades. For their efforts they were presented with the Star of Courage, the second-highest Australian bravery decoration, awarded for ‘acts of conspicuous courage in circumstances of great peril’. They would both go on to be nominated in each of their own home States. They were both awarded Australian of the Year for 2019. A well deserved recognition for their courage, bravery and determination.
The six Australian Federal Police rescue specialists and a member of the Navy received bravery Medals. All nine including Dr Richard Harris and Craig Challen received the Medal of the Order of Australia.
This truly was a Mission Impossible operation where the international community came together to attempt a feat never before attempted. There was only a small window of opportunity to get these boys and their coach out before the monsoon rains would again flood the cave. Every specialist person in this international team played their imperative role in this operation. Even the rescuers themselves thought that they would have casualties along the way and that the mission would not be a guaranteed success. With the eyes of the world upon them the pressure they were under never abated. This truly was one of the most remarkable rescue operations in modern history.
https://www.facebook.com/777149828/po...
“It was little wonder that this story had touched the hearts of so many people around the world. It had it all: a misadventure we could all relate to; children trapped and hungry; the race against time; the water rising, falling; the world seeing it’s best and bravest; the tragedy of an unexpected death; then the dramatic rescue, playing our slowly, bit by bit; and in the end somehow pulling off what seemed impossible and giving the world a moment of much-needed happiness. At the time when the news cycle was so often full of violence, meanness and stupidity, here was something we could all get behind . . . For once, we were all on one side, United in hope. We were all on Team Wild Boars. And for just a moment, when the boys and their coach emerged from the cave, it felt like we’d all won” - Liam Cochrane
“We just went cave diving for a few days and were able to get these kids out . . . these awards have been completely unexpected and we’re just trying to emphasise how big a part so many people played in this . . . We’re just a couple of ordinary blokes with an unusual hobbie . . . The part we played has been made out to be a lot more noble that it actually was, we just consider ourselves to be lucky to have had some skills that we could contribute to the wonderful outcome” - Dr Richard Harris
“Cave diving is what we do. That bit didn’t require anything special. But what we are not used to is holding these little humans and their faith completely up to us. What we did at the time made all the difference between them surviving and not” - Craig Challen
These quotes of Dr Richard Harris and Craig Challen shows the caliber of these men who were humble and sort no accolades. For their efforts they were presented with the Star of Courage, the second-highest Australian bravery decoration, awarded for ‘acts of conspicuous courage in circumstances of great peril’. They would both go on to be nominated in each of their own home States. They were both awarded Australian of the Year for 2019. A well deserved recognition for their courage, bravery and determination.
The six Australian Federal Police rescue specialists and a member of the Navy received bravery Medals. All nine including Dr Richard Harris and Craig Challen received the Medal of the Order of Australia.
This truly was a Mission Impossible operation where the international community came together to attempt a feat never before attempted. There was only a small window of opportunity to get these boys and their coach out before the monsoon rains would again flood the cave. Every specialist person in this international team played their imperative role in this operation. Even the rescuers themselves thought that they would have casualties along the way and that the mission would not be a guaranteed success. With the eyes of the world upon them the pressure they were under never abated. This truly was one of the most remarkable rescue operations in modern history.
https://www.facebook.com/777149828/po...
March 29, 2019
In general, I don’t really follow the news. It can make me sad and despairing and angry, so I’m generally happy to live in a little bubble of ignorance. But, I followed this story a little when it broke last year and really, how could I not? It was one of the biggest stories of the year. So it’s no real surprise that there’s now a couple of books on the market capitalising on this.
But wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. If you want a book to make you not sad and not despairing and not angry, then this is it. This is the antidote to the bleak news (and yes, I get that that’s why it was such a massive news story). I feel like this story could be the poster child for globalisation. The combined effort of thousands of people to get the team out of the cave was just phenomenal. The sheer technical expertise and precision required was unbelievable and everyone was just so damn thorough in their preparation and in their contingency planning.
There’s a piece of advice that floats around in times of crisis and it’s “look for the helpers”. Read this book- the helpers are everywhere and it makes me happy to be alive.
But wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. If you want a book to make you not sad and not despairing and not angry, then this is it. This is the antidote to the bleak news (and yes, I get that that’s why it was such a massive news story). I feel like this story could be the poster child for globalisation. The combined effort of thousands of people to get the team out of the cave was just phenomenal. The sheer technical expertise and precision required was unbelievable and everyone was just so damn thorough in their preparation and in their contingency planning.
There’s a piece of advice that floats around in times of crisis and it’s “look for the helpers”. Read this book- the helpers are everywhere and it makes me happy to be alive.
April 17, 2019
Inspiring Real-Life Rescue
Wow ... such an inspiring real-life story of the international phenomena/operational rescue full of risks, cultural unity, language barrier, folklore, compromise, and controversy. Love this book! I got choked up a few times reading this. Such a page-turner non-fiction. The world came together to rescues 12 boys and 1 coach, as we know them as 13 Wild Boars football (soccer) team in Chiang Rai, Thailand. Thankful for each and every single one of the volunteers, selfless help from Britain, Australia, The USA, China, and all around the world. Words cannot describe how appreciative Thai people are. Thank you, thank you, thank you! Such a story of the century!
The author managed to include cultural emphasis and political controversy during the operation rescue nicely. The book is also written very well with easy-to-understand scientific and military facts about the cave, diving, engineering, and politics. love this book. Highly recommend for everyone who’s looking for the good in the world.
RIP Ex-Navy SEAL, Sergeant Sam Gunan and thank you from the deepest of my heart for your sacrifice.
Wow ... such an inspiring real-life story of the international phenomena/operational rescue full of risks, cultural unity, language barrier, folklore, compromise, and controversy. Love this book! I got choked up a few times reading this. Such a page-turner non-fiction. The world came together to rescues 12 boys and 1 coach, as we know them as 13 Wild Boars football (soccer) team in Chiang Rai, Thailand. Thankful for each and every single one of the volunteers, selfless help from Britain, Australia, The USA, China, and all around the world. Words cannot describe how appreciative Thai people are. Thank you, thank you, thank you! Such a story of the century!
The author managed to include cultural emphasis and political controversy during the operation rescue nicely. The book is also written very well with easy-to-understand scientific and military facts about the cave, diving, engineering, and politics. love this book. Highly recommend for everyone who’s looking for the good in the world.
RIP Ex-Navy SEAL, Sergeant Sam Gunan and thank you from the deepest of my heart for your sacrifice.
November 8, 2022
This book describes the rescue of a youth soccer team and their coach in Northern Thailand from a cave that flooded when they were visiting it. This rescue turns out to be of almost unimaginable complexity requiring the cooperation of many specialists from various parts of the world. Different approaches to the problem were attempted, but ultimately divers took the boys out after they had been sedated. Unfortunately one the rescuers dies in the lead up to the extraction, but otherwise this is a feel good story which is very well described.
August 27, 2021
This was ok. It really just told the details of what happened and who was involved. It did give me a much greater insight into the international effort involved and the other Australians who were involved as well as a bit of a thai perspective. It did take me back to that time when I was glued to the news awaiting what I was sure was going to be tragic but ended up being an amazing story of survival and international co-operation.. i wonder how the boys are all going now
February 14, 2019
A well researched book of the amazing rescue mission that grabbed the attention of all the world. This book recognises all the players involved in the mission and tells the story in chronological order. An unbelievable story more amazing than fiction.
December 5, 2024
An in depth account of the rescue and those involved. Very evident of the respect for the boys and their families while gathering the information for the book. Read it from front to back in one sitting
January 4, 2025
The Cave is definitely the main character here. This is a well-researched, well-written book, but I needed a spreadsheet and an engineering lesson to keep track of everything. The technical details overwhelmed me, and it was difficult to keep track of some of the players.
December 12, 2018
Incredible!
February 8, 2019
Well written back story if the Thai cave rescue .
February 27, 2019
Excellent read. I don't read a lot of non fiction but I read this in one day. Well researched and compelling.
October 28, 2019
An excellent and very readable account
September 4, 2020
Thanks for the informative account of this amazing rescue! What an incredible story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 25, 2021
Amazing book, it explained that this was not a one man job, but a whole army of people from many countries, each with their tiny little contribution to save the wild boars.
February 16, 2022
So well written! Full credit to Liam Cochrane for his fact checking and showing respect through his writing to all involved in the rescue as well as the boys and their families.
August 13, 2023
very tense although I knew the outcome.
December 26, 2024
Loved this and taught me a lot about journalism and gathering different perspective when telling a truthful and effective story.
February 6, 2025
The world followed these boys from missing to rescue. A fascinating tale. The bravery of the boys and their rescuers is outstanding. A must for every library.
March 30, 2021
Third book I've read about the cave rescue, and easily the worst.
ETA: Okay I've read another book and it steals last place, so this is now the second-worst book on the Thai Cave Rescue that I've read.
I recommend reading 'The Boys in the Cave' by Matt Gutman and listening to 'Against the Odds' by Wondery podcast instead.
ETA: Okay I've read another book and it steals last place, so this is now the second-worst book on the Thai Cave Rescue that I've read.
I recommend reading 'The Boys in the Cave' by Matt Gutman and listening to 'Against the Odds' by Wondery podcast instead.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews