Australian hero taught cave divers how to safely administer anesthesia

Australian doctor Richard Harris taught divers how to administer dangerous sedatives so 12 young soccer players and coach could be freed from the Thai cave.

Dr Harris, an anesthetist from Adelaide, revealed how complex timing of anesthesia administering was crucial in the boy’s making it out alive, as each required top-ups at different stages of their journey out.

‘I had to basically teach the other cavers, the divers, to re-administer the sedation when the time was right,’ Dr Harris said following a ceremony at Government House in Adelaide on Thursday. 

Australian doctor Richard Harris (right) taught divers how to administer dangerous sedatives so 12 young soccer players and coach could be freed from the Thai cave (Dr Craig Challen left)

‘All the children needed re-sedation at different times on the way out.’ 

Dr Harris explained how the boys beat giant odds by surviving, with the success of the mission largely attributed to divers who took on a huge ‘sense of responsibility for the kids’.

‘They took that on themselves to administer essentially life-threatening anaesthetic drugs to kids to keep them sedated enough to get them out of the cave, and I cannot tell you how impressed I am with those blokes,’ he said.

‘The sense of responsibility for those little kids was overwhelming, and… the fact that our rescue strategy worked, and not just once but 13 times, still seems beyond the realms of possibility and I’m pinching myself that this has been the outcome.’    

Dr Harris revealed how complex timing of anesthesia administering was crucial in the boy's making it out alive, as each required top-ups at different stages of their journey out

Dr Harris revealed how complex timing of anesthesia administering was crucial in the boy’s making it out alive, as each required top-ups at different stages of their journey out

'I had to basically teach the other cavers, the divers, to readminister the sedation when the time was right,' Dr Harris said

‘I had to basically teach the other cavers, the divers, to readminister the sedation when the time was right,’ Dr Harris said

He largely had to estimate how much sedative to give the boys before they were chaperoned through murky waters to the cave entrance.

Too little and they may have panicked and drowned, but too much would have knocked them out, preventing them from swimming to safety.

He and his dive partner Dr Craig Challen on Tuesday received the rare double honour of the Medal of the Order of Australia and the Star of Courage for their roles in the dangerous mission.

Speaking at the ceremony, Dr Harris said he essentially had to guess how much sedative to needed to be administered.

He (left) and his dive partner Dr Craig Challen (right) on Tuesday received the rare double honour of the Medal of the Order of Australia and the Star of Courage for their roles

He (left) and his dive partner Dr Craig Challen (right) on Tuesday received the rare double honour of the Medal of the Order of Australia and the Star of Courage for their roles

‘It was an estimate to start with. The first child was an experiment in a way,’ he said.

‘It was a good guess with a lot of advice from a lot of other specialists. I was contacting specialists in Australia, I talked extensively with a variety of specialists in Thailand, and took a lot of their advice on board.

‘And they were happy with the plan that we put forward — but I have never done it in the back of a cave with malnourished, skinny, dehydrated Thai kids before. That for me was the most frightening part of the week.’ 

He said he could barely believe that all boys made it to safety.

‘We thought the monsoon rains were going to kick in and they were going to be trapped there for several months which was a situation we didn’t think was survivable.

Dr Harris said he could barely believe that all boys made it to safety 

Dr Harris said he could barely believe that all boys made it to safety 

Australian member of the Thai cave rescue team, Dr Richard Harris is honoured with the Order of Australia and the Star of Courage by Governor General Peter Cosgrove

Dr Richard Harris

Australian member of the Thai cave rescue team, Dr Richard Harris is honoured with the Order of Australia and the Star of Courage by Governor General Peter Cosgrove

‘Either way we thought the outcome was going to be pretty dismal.’ 

Dr Harris said he and Dr Challen were planning to head back to some caves near the Thai complex to ‘blow away the cobwebs and get back in the water’ for a re-union with some other rescuers in two weeks’ time. 

The cave experts were not the only ones to be honoured as seven divers from the Australian Federal Police were given a bravery medal.

Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove presented the medals with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Opposition Leader Bill Shorten in attendance at Tuesday’s ceremony at Government House in Canberra.

Sir Peter said the divers showed ‘Australian values and human qualities we cherish’ during their efforts, The Australian reported.

Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove (front row, third from left) presented the medals to those involved in the mission, with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull (front tow, second from right) and Opposition Leader Bill Shorten (front row, far left) in attendance at Tuesday's ceremony at Government House in Canberra

Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove (front row, third from left) presented the medals to those involved in the mission, with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull (front tow, second from right) and Opposition Leader Bill Shorten (front row, far left) in attendance at Tuesday’s ceremony at Government House in Canberra

‘Our fellow Australians, along with Thai citizens and the men and women of other nations conducted a thrilling rescue of helpless young men, themselves strong and brave, and in doing so captivated the world,’ Sir Peter said.

‘We think that you were remarkable – skilful, tireless, compassionate and courageous. Your nation is so proud of you. Today, Australia salutes you.’

Secretary to the Governor-General, Mark Fraser, said the rescue required ‘character, grit and determination’.

‘They brought the faces of 13 young men back into the sunshine and into the arms of their loved ones,’ he said.

Speaking to those gathered at the ceremony, Mr Turnbull said the rescuers were ‘our heroes’, the ABC reported.

‘During the World Cup the most inspiring story about football was not in Russia, it was in Thailand. And the most inspiring teams were not Les Bleus but the Wild Boars, and you,’ Mr Turnbull said.

Adelaide anaesthetist Dr Richard Harris and his dive partner Dr Craig Challen received the rare double honour of the Medal of the Order of Australia and the Star of Courage for their roles in the daring rescue

Adelaide anaesthetist Dr Richard Harris and his dive partner Dr Craig Challen received the rare double honour of the Medal of the Order of Australia and the Star of Courage for their roles in the daring rescue

‘Your first dives were done without a proper guide rope. There was no defined path through those dark waters. You had to feel your way through the twists and turns of the cave system, with the very real threat all the time of being tangled and trapped.

‘It’s impossible to overstate how dangerous was your task.’

Dr Harris emphasised how crucial teamwork was in the rescue.

‘We just went cave diving for a few days and were able to get the 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,’ he said.

It is the first time the rescuers have been reunited since returning to Australia on July 13.

Sydney-based Chief Petty Officer Eather was a key figure in Operation Thailand Assist, having been involved in a number of significant mission since joining the Navy in 1991.

Thailand’s ambassador to Australia and Australia’s ambassador to Thailand, along with the acting chief of the Defence Force and acting Australian Federal Police commissioner were also in attendance. 

Thailand’s ambassador to Australia and Australia’s ambassador to Thailand, along with the acting chief of the Defence Force and acting Australian Federal Police commissioner were also in attendance



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