A WATER pump expert from the Forest rushed out to take part in the cave rescue of the Thai teenage footballers after a dramatic 999 call last Friday.

Phil Delaney was looking forward to the weekend when his bosses at SPP Pumps Ltd in Coleford received an emergency call for him to rush to the rescue operation in Thailand, to help pump flood water out of the vast cave system.

The 41-year-old from Coalway arrived on Sunday to provide his expertise at the six-mile long Tham Luang caves in the Doi Nang Non mountains.

Based at the entrance to the labyrinthine undergound system, the keen Ironman athlete witnessed the dramatic rescue unfold as the 12 boys aged 11 to 16 and their coach were brought to the surface.

Phil, who has been with SPP for 21 years, arrived to help before the first four boys were brought out by divers on Sunday, with another four on Monday and the final four and their coach rescued yesterday (Tuesday).

With the threat of monsoon rains flooding more passages, the “dewatering technical and commercial support engineer” helped keep water levels under control so divers could bring out the youngsters, who had been trapped in an air pocket more than 1km underground for over two weeks.

Helen Myden, SPP Pumps Ltd human resources manager, said: “The story’s been in the world spotlight, and we’ve all had overwhelming concern for the children’s welfare. It’s incredible news that they’ve got them out and an honour that Phil and the company had a little part to play.

“Phil really didn’t have a chance to fully react to the news that he was going to be flying out to support the rescue mission, which was broken to him on Friday morning and he was on a plane to Thailand next day, joined for the second leg in Bangkok by colleagues from India.  

“He’s finding it all to be an amazing experience being so close to such a dramatic rescue and being able to contribute with his first class knowledge of dewatering solutions.” 

Popular staff member Phil, who plays in a local band, told Coleford colleagues on Monday: “The rescue operation is in its last phase. 

“Team SPP and Team KBL (parent company Kirloskar Brothers Ltd) are here as a catalyst to speed up the water pumping management process, and in coordination with the team already here and government authorities, our team has also worked out some permanent solutions which we are going to present to the officials of Thailand,” he added.

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SPP, which employs 160 staff at their Coleford base and another 80 nationwide, has provided pump equipment to some iconic landmarks, including the Shard and the Gherkin in London and Sydney Opera House, and also supplies oil rigs and mines globally.

It is part of the Indian Kirloskar Group conglomerate, India’s largest engineering group and largest pump manufacturer, which has helped in the rescue operation and who made the call on Friday for Phil to fly from Heathrow to help the humanitarian mission.

The parent company also asked SPP to send its specialised Autoprime sets, in which it is a world leader, which can be dropped into the caves from heights of more than 150m.  

Helen added: “Phil speaks of the extreme calm that came over the site once the divers commenced their rescue, with only the divers and medics being allowed close to the cave entrance, and also the elation when the boys started to come out alive and well. 

“It’s a credit to the incredible skill and bravery of the divers and the technical support which facilitated them to make such dramatic rescues.

“There is a feeling of immense relief among the staff to learn that all those trapped in the cave have now been rescued. 

“Watching the footage of the divers and the enormity of the challenge they faced, it seemed almost impossible to hope that this would have such a positive outcome.

“And our thoughts go to the family and friends of the Navy Seal diver who sadly lost his life trying to save others in the early stages of the rescue.

“You can’t imagine what you would feel if that was one of your children. It’s miraculous that they found them alive, and everyone has been excited that we’ve had a small role in this rescue.

“Like the rest of the world, we were all watching before the phone call came through. The rescue attempt has been so heroic, and so when we got the call to help out we were only too ready to help, although it has been a bit of a whirlwind for Phil.”

The alarm was first raised when the 12 boys from the Moo Pa (Wild Boars) club and their 25-year-old coach failed to return from the caves near Chiang Rai in northern Thailand on Saturday, June 23

A huge search mission was launched while the world’s press flocked to record the rescue bid, but after heavy rains filled many of the subterranean passages, hope was growing thin.

Then nine days after they went missing, on Tuesday, July 3, British cave divers Rick Stanton from Bristol and John Volanthen from Coventry finally located them alive on a ledge 2.5-miles from the cave entrance.

Film showed the exhausted group lit by feeble torchlight asking for food and whether they could leave the cave as one of the divers urged them to stay calm.

Asked how many of them there were, a child said: “Thirteen.” The diver replied: “Thirteen? Brilliant!”

Another child said: “We are hungry ... Shall we go outside?”

The diver said: “I know, I understand ... No, not today. We have to go, but many, many people are coming ... we are the first.”

There were fears that they may have to stay underground for months until the rainy season ended, but the decision was taken to swim them out in scuba suits rather than wait for the flooding to get worse.

Although most of the youngsters couldn’t swim, they were kitted out in diving gear, with full face masks and guided through the tortuous twisting passageways, at one point having to squeeze through a 15-inch gap with a diver holding their breathing tank in front of them.

The rescued boys and coach are now being treated and counselled in hospital in Chiang Rai.

A team of 90 expert divers - 40 from Thailand and 50 from overseas - worked on the rescue, which included a mixture of walking, wading, climbing and diving along guide ropes which had been fitted in place, backed by a huge support team.

In an indication of how perilous the journey was, a former Thai Navy Seal diver died in the caves on Friday while returning from a mission to provide the group with air tanks.

His colleagues said they would “not let the sacrifice of our friend go to waste.”

SPP, which employs 160 staff at its Coleford base and another 80 nationwide, has provided pump equipment to such iconic landmarks as the Shard and the Gherkin in London and Sydney Opera House, and also supplies oil rigs and mines globally.

It is part of the Kirloskar Group conglomerate, India’s largest engineering group and pump manufacturer, which was involved in the rescue operation when it made the call on Friday for Phil to fly from Heathrow to help the humanitarian mission.

The parent company also asked SPP to send its specialised Autoprime sets, in which it is a world leader, which can be dropped into the caves from heights of more than 150m.  

Helen said: “Phil has spoken of the extreme calm that came over the site once the divers commenced their rescue, with only the divers and medics being allowed close to the cave entrance, and also the elation when the boys started to come out alive and well. 

“It’s a credit to the incredible skill and bravery of the divers and the technical support which facilitated them to make such dramatic rescues.

“There is a feeling of immense relief among the staff to learn that all those trapped in the cave have now been rescued. 

“Watching the footage of the divers and the enormity of the challenge they faced, it seemed almost impossible to hope that this would have such a positive outcome.

“And our thoughts go to the family and friends of Navy Seal diver, Saman Gunan, who sadly lost his life trying to save others in the early stages of the rescue.

“You can’t imagine what you would feel if that was one of your children trapped in the cave. It’s miraculous that they found them alive, and everyone has been excited that we’ve had a small role in this rescue.

“Like the rest of the world, we were all watching before the phone call came through. The rescue attempt has been so heroic, and so when we got the call to help out we were only too ready to help, although it has been a bit of a whirlwind for Phil.”

The alarm was first raised when the 12 boys from the Moo Pa (Wild Boars) football club and their 25-year-old coach failed to return from the caves near Chiang Rai in northern Thailand on Saturday, June 23

A huge search mission was launched while the world’s press flocked to cover the rescue bid, but after heavy rains filled many of the subterranean passages, hope was growing thin.

Then, nine days after they went missing, on Tuesday, July 3, British cave divers Rick Stanton from Bristol and John Volanthen from Coventry finally located them alive on a ledge 2.5-miles from the cave entrance.

Film showed the exhausted group lit by feeble torchlight asking for food and whether they could leave the cave as one of the divers urged them to stay calm.

Asked how many of them there were, a child said: “Thirteen.” The diver replied: “Thirteen? Brilliant!”

Another child said: “We are hungry ... Shall we go outside?”

The diver said: “I know, I understand... No, not today. We have to go, but many, many people are coming... we are the first.”

There were fears that they may have to stay underground for months until the rainy season ended, but the decision was taken to swim them out in scuba suits at the weekend rather than wait for the flooding to get worse.

Although most of them couldn’t swim, they were kitted out in diving gear, with full face masks and guided through the tortuous twisting passageways, at one point having to squeeze through a 15-inch gap with a diver holding their breathing tank in front of them.

The rescued boys and coach are now being treated and counselled in hospital in Chiang Rai.

A team of 90 expert divers – 40 from Thailand and 50 from overseas – worked on the rescue, which included a mixture of walking, wading, climbing and diving along guide ropes which had been fitted in place, backed by a huge support team.

In an indication of how perilous the journey was, the Thai Navy Seal diver died in the caves on Friday while returning from a mission to provide the group with air tanks.

His colleagues said they would “not let the sacrifice of our friend go to waste.”