CHIANG RAI – A delegation from the Royal Volunteers with the 37th Military Circle visited British caver Vern Unsworth to offer support after he was hospitalized for pneumonia. Unsworth helped the team that rescued the 13 Wild Boars in 2018.
Maj Gen Chakkavee Saniworayut, Commander of the 37th Military Circle and Director of the Royal Volunteers Operations Centre for the 37th Military Circle, led the Chiang Rai Royal Volunteers to see Mr.Unsworth. The visit took place after he was admitted to the internal medicine ward at Mae Chan Hospital, Mae Chan district, Chiang Rai.
Doctors at the hospital report his condition has improved, and he can speak with visitors, but doctors are continuing to monitor him closely. He will remain in the hospital, where staff and equipment are ready, until he is stronger. Unsworth thanked the delegation for their concern and encouragement.
Vern Unsworth was among the first cavers to map and study Tham Luang Cave in the Tham Luang–Khun Nam Nang Non National Park. He spent six years surveying the cave before the Wild Boars team became trapped.
His caving skills put him in the spotlight on 23 June 2018. He had planned a personal dive at Tham Luang Cave that day, then heard that twelve boys from the Wild Boars football team and their 25-year-old coach, Ekaphol Chantawong, were trapped deep inside the six-mile cave after monsoon floods.
As the first foreign rescuer to arrive, Unsworth urged Thai officials to call the British Cave Rescue Council. His advice brought in a team of UK experts, including Rick Stanton and John Volanthen. They found the boys nine days later, huddled on a muddy ledge, tired but alive.
Colleagues called him a magician for his calm persuasion and deep knowledge of the cave. He helped lead the long and punishing extraction. The team worked through tight, silted tunnels and fast-rising water. During the effort, Thai diver Saman Gunan died while bringing in air supplies.
Unsworth kept a steady line under pressure. He reflected a common view in British caving, saying that nobody was to blame in the face of such bad luck. That simple message struck a chord as support poured in from around the world.
Soon, a fresh storm broke. Elon Musk, from Tesla and SpaceX, offered a custom mini-submarine made by his engineers. The idea sounded bold, but the device did not fit the cave’s narrow and twisting passages.
In a frank CNN interview, Vern Unsworth called the submarine a PR stunt with no chance of working. He said Musk could stick the sub where it hurts. Musk fired back on Twitter, calling him “pedo guy,” a slur that sparked abuse online and caused real personal harm.
In December 2019, Unsworth testified in a Los Angeles court. He said the label felt like a life sentence with no parole. He described feeling humiliated and ashamed, and he sued Musk for defamation, seeking 190 million dollars in damages. He spoke of strangers looking away and of how the insult shaded even proud moments.
Musk’s lawyers said the tweet was a South African playground insult, not a literal claim. The jury agreed and found in Musk’s favour. Unsworth walked out with his head high, clear in his own mind about what had happened.
After the rescue, honours followed. In June 2019, Prince William appointed him a Member of the Order of the British Empire for bravery. He also received a medal from the King of Thailand, visited 10 Downing Street with then Prime Minister Theresa May, and spoke to schoolchildren. He also contributed to a children’s book about the rescue.
Vern Unsworth still advises on cave safety, works as a finance consultant, and sometimes returns underground. His story speaks to quiet courage in darkness, dignity under fire online, and the steady pull of adventure.
Awards Received by Vern Unsworth
Vern Unsworth, the British cave explorer and resident of Thailand who played a key role in coordinating the 2018 Tham Luang cave rescue, has received several honours for his contributions. Below is a summary of his notable awards:
| Award | Date | Description | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Award from the British Chamber of Commerce of Thailand | October 2018 | Recognition for his leadership and expertise in the cave rescue operation. | |
| Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) | Awarded December 2018; presented June 2019 | Honorary award in the 2019 New Year Honours for his role in the rescue, presented by Prince William. | |
| Medal from the King of Thailand | 2018 (exact date unspecified) | Royal honour for his assistance in saving the 12 boys and their coach from the flooded cave. |
