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| Thailand cave rescue: The Brits who helped find the boys | Thailand cave rescue: The Brits who helped find the boys |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The first voice 12 young Thai footballers and their coach heard after nine days trapped in caves was that of Briton John Volanthen. | The first voice 12 young Thai footballers and their coach heard after nine days trapped in caves was that of Briton John Volanthen. |
| "How many of you?" he asked. "Thirteen? Brilliant." | "How many of you?" he asked. "Thirteen? Brilliant." |
| It meant that, finally, they had been found. | It meant that, finally, they had been found. |
| Mr Volanthen and Richard Stanton were in the cave after being called in by Thai authorities along with another British caving expert, Robert Harper. | Mr Volanthen and Richard Stanton were in the cave after being called in by Thai authorities along with another British caving expert, Robert Harper. |
| The trio arrived in Thailand three days after the football team went missing. | The trio arrived in Thailand three days after the football team went missing. |
| More than 1,000 people have been involved in the operation, from all over the world. | More than 1,000 people have been involved in the operation, from all over the world. |
| The British Cave Rescue Council (BCRC) - the body for voluntary underground rescue in the British Isles - said it has been in contact with the British divers since their return. | The British Cave Rescue Council (BCRC) - the body for voluntary underground rescue in the British Isles - said it has been in contact with the British divers since their return. |
| Bill Whitehouse, the council's vice chairman, said the men had described the dive as "gnarly" in an email, meaning there were complications and problems. | Bill Whitehouse, the council's vice chairman, said the men had described the dive as "gnarly" in an email, meaning there were complications and problems. |
| It was a three-hour round trip, involving a 1.5km passage, partly flooded and partly open, he told BBC's Breakfast. | It was a three-hour round trip, involving a 1.5km passage, partly flooded and partly open, he told BBC's Breakfast. |
| On hearing the boys had been found, Mr Whitehouse said: "It was really quite a moment, I can tell you." | On hearing the boys had been found, Mr Whitehouse said: "It was really quite a moment, I can tell you." |
| However, he said that "moment of euphoria" for the divers and the boys would have been followed by: "Now what?" | However, he said that "moment of euphoria" for the divers and the boys would have been followed by: "Now what?" |
| What do we know about the trio? | What do we know about the trio? |
| Mr Volanthen and Mr Stanton are part of the South and Mid Wales Cave Rescue Team. | |
| "Both John and Rick have been involved in a good number of rescues over the years, and they've both got an awful lot of personal expertise to take to Thailand," the team's chairman, Gary Mitchell, said. | |
| In France in 2010 the pair were part of a team which attempted to rescue a trapped diver. | |
| Mr Stanton, a retired firefighter from Coventry, was also involved in the rescue of six British cavers in Mexico in 2004. | |
| During that rescue Mr Stanton was able to persuade one of the group - who was terrified of water - to make a 180-metre dive out of the cave, the West Midlands Fire Service said. | During that rescue Mr Stanton was able to persuade one of the group - who was terrified of water - to make a 180-metre dive out of the cave, the West Midlands Fire Service said. |
| In a 2007 interview, he said he became interested in diving after watching a programme called "Underground Eiger" as a child. He joined caving and diving clubs at university. | In a 2007 interview, he said he became interested in diving after watching a programme called "Underground Eiger" as a child. He joined caving and diving clubs at university. |
| Speaking to the BBC in 2004 he described the difficulties of navigating caves: "When people landed on the moon they had a map, they knew where they were going but in a cave if you're beyond the known limit of the cave, nobody knows where it goes, you never know what will happen round the corner." | Speaking to the BBC in 2004 he described the difficulties of navigating caves: "When people landed on the moon they had a map, they knew where they were going but in a cave if you're beyond the known limit of the cave, nobody knows where it goes, you never know what will happen round the corner." |
| Mr Stanton was made an MBE in the New Year's Honours List at the end of 2012 for his cave diving rescue services. | |
| Mr Volanthen is an IT consultant based in Bristol but who grew up in Brighton. | Mr Volanthen is an IT consultant based in Bristol but who grew up in Brighton. |
| He started caving as a scout. Speaking to the Sunday Times in 2013, he said cave rescue requires a calm head. | He started caving as a scout. Speaking to the Sunday Times in 2013, he said cave rescue requires a calm head. |
| "Panic and adrenaline are great in certain situations - but not in cave-diving," he said. "The last thing you want is any adrenaline whatsoever." | "Panic and adrenaline are great in certain situations - but not in cave-diving," he said. "The last thing you want is any adrenaline whatsoever." |
| He added: "It [cave diving] is like that puzzle with the fox, the chicken and the grain. It's not dangerous if you do it right." | He added: "It [cave diving] is like that puzzle with the fox, the chicken and the grain. It's not dangerous if you do it right." |
| According to an online profile, Mr Volanthen runs marathons and ultra-marathons. He joked that "he only runs so he can eat more biscuits". | According to an online profile, Mr Volanthen runs marathons and ultra-marathons. He joked that "he only runs so he can eat more biscuits". |
| His mother Jill said she felt "absolute pride" over her son's role in the rescue effort in Thailand. | His mother Jill said she felt "absolute pride" over her son's role in the rescue effort in Thailand. |
| Martyn Farr, a friend of both Mr Stanton and Mr Volanthen, described them as "calm, very collected, very organised and extremely disciplined, consummate professionals." | Martyn Farr, a friend of both Mr Stanton and Mr Volanthen, described them as "calm, very collected, very organised and extremely disciplined, consummate professionals." |
| Jon Whiteley, rescue controller for the Devon Cave Rescue Organisation, said the men were "risk adverse individuals" who were "at the top of their game". | Jon Whiteley, rescue controller for the Devon Cave Rescue Organisation, said the men were "risk adverse individuals" who were "at the top of their game". |
| He also said they were humble and despite the media interest would want to "get back to their normal lives, normal day jobs and their families". | He also said they were humble and despite the media interest would want to "get back to their normal lives, normal day jobs and their families". |
| In 2012, both men received a Royal Humane Society medal at Buckingham Palace, in recognition of their rescue attempt in France. | In 2012, both men received a Royal Humane Society medal at Buckingham Palace, in recognition of their rescue attempt in France. |
| The third British expert, Robert Harper, has been caving since 1968. | The third British expert, Robert Harper, has been caving since 1968. |