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Mirror - A former Navy Seal working to rescue a dozen boys and their coach trapped in a cave in Thailand has died from a lack of oxygen, authorities have said.
Saman Kunan, a former member of Thailand's elite navy SEAL unit who was part of the rescue team in Chiang Rai, died around 1am on Friday morning.
SEAL commander Arpakorn Yookongkaew told a news conference that the victim fell unconscious during part of an operation to lay oxygen tanks along a potential exit route.
Authorities are racing to pump out water from a flooded cave where a dozen boys and their football coach have been trapped since June 23.
"The conditions in the cave are tough," Apakorn told reporters on Friday.
"Once he placed the oxygen tanks he became unconscious on his way back. His buddy tried to administer first aid, when there was no response he tried to move him.
"We won't let his life be in vain. We will carry on".
Volunteers at the Tham Luang cave in northern Chiang Rai province were shaken by Samarn's death.
"A navy SEAL just passed away last night. How about a 12-year-old boy that will have to pass through?" Rafael Aroush, an Israeli living in Thailand and volunteer who arrived at the cave site on Thursday, told Reuters.
"There will be rain and many things could go wrong. I don't want to say it, but it could be a catastrophe," he said.
Chiang Rai Governor Narongsak Osottanakorn said on Thursday that rescuers were preparing a five km (three miles) "oxygen pipeline" as part of preparations for the group's extraction but added that the boys would not be coming out soon.
He said: "You see we are increasing the number of people going inside the cave. So we have to fill it up with oxygen."
Rescuers, including international teams, are considering alternative ways to bring the group out before heavy rains hit the country's north next week which could further hamper the rescue operation.
"We have considered many alternatives to find the most feasible ones," Narongsak said.
The tragic news came as the youngsters faced the agonising decision to leave their pals behind as they swim for their lives to safety.
Narongsak, who is heading rescue efforts , says the boys may be removed in stages, saying "all 13 may not come out at the same time."
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