A rescue mission is underway to save Josh Bratchley from a cave in northern Tennesee. He was one of a number of divers credited with saving 12 Thai soccer players last year. Photo / Facebook
A rescue mission is underway to save Josh Bratchley from a cave in northern Tennesee. He was one of a number of divers credited with saving 12 Thai soccer players last year. Photo / Facebook
A member of the brave diving team that helped rescue 12 soccer players from a flooded cave in Thailand has now gone missing himself inside a Tennessee cave.
Authorities are now attempting to rescue Josh Bratchley from the Mill Pond Cave in Jackson County, Tennessee.
He was reported missing late on Tuesday night after the group he was with resurfaced from a dive, with Bratchley nowhere to be seen.
The group of divers contacted authorities shortly after emerging from the cave and conducted their own search but failed to find any trace of Bratchley.
Speciality divers are now at the scene and plan to plunge beneath the surface around 6pm Wednesday evening, local time.
Bratchley was among a group of divers from the United Kingdom, said to be exploring the Mill Pond Cave in Jackson County for the last few days. Photo / WFTS
Visibility is limited and could take more than 40 minutes to reach the diver.
"There had been previous mapping of the cave by Tennessee Tech University and there [were] some air pockets that had been identified, I believe, previously that the diver was aware of so it's a very good possibility that he would seek that out once he found himself in distress," Jackson County EMA Public Information Officer Derek Woolbright said in a news conference.
"This individual is known to be very experienced in this kind of thing."
Last year in July, Bratchley along with an elite team of international divers helped save 12 boys and their coach from Tham Luang Nang Non cave in Thailand.
The soccer team were trapped for 18 days when the cave became flooded and blocked their exit, forcing them to retreat further into the cave.
Water level continued to rise from heavy rain pour and rescuers found themselves in a race against time to save the group's lives.
After three weeks, the divers located the team - hungry, but alive - huddled on a dry patch of land deep into the cave.
Handpicked for the mission, Bratchley was later awarded an MBE, standing for 'Member of the Order of the British Empire', for his efforts by the Queen.
"It's incredible to be recognised in such a way and all of us on the team are extremely appreciative of all the support that we've received from family, friends, cavers, divers, colleagues and strangers alike, " he said at the time.
One of the elite divers drowned during the rescue mission.
