Senator the Hon Marise Payne
|
The Hon Christopher Pyne MP
24 Aug 18
Release details
Release type
Related ministers and contacts
The Hon Julie Bishop MP
Minister for Foreign Affairs
Senator the Hon Marise Payne
Minister for Defence
The Hon Peter Dutton MP
Minister for Home Affairs
Media contacts
Foreign Minister’s Office:
Liam O’Neil 0428 113 617
Defence Minister’s Office:
Henry Budd 0429 531 143
Home Affairs Minister’s Office:
Merryn Royle 0409 272 971
Release content
30 June 2018
The Australian Government is assisting the Government of Thailand’s efforts to locate a group of 13 people who are missing, believed trapped in a flooded cave system in Chiang Rai.
On 23 June, a soccer team of 12 boys aged between 11-16, along with their 25-year old coach, entered the Tham Luang Nang Non cave in Chiang Rai. The Government of Thailand is doing all it can to find the team.
An Australian Federal Police (AFP) Specialist Response Group team of six people is deploying to Chiang Rai today. The team has capabilities in conducting searches in zero visibility areas, land search and rescue, and diving in flooded caves. A DFAT officer is also deploying with the team to assist with coordination.
The Australian Defence Force (ADF) is providing a Royal Australian Air Force C-17 aircraft to transport the team and their equipment. The ADF has also deployed an official to the rescue command centre in Chiang Rai as a Specialist Liaison Officer to provide operations and planning expertise.
Australia is working in close cooperation with the Government of Thailand and the Royal Thai Army, who are leading the search operation.
Links to images: https://images.defence.gov.au/S20182349