Dubai: Erik Brown, one of the divers involved in the 2018 Thai Cave Rescue will be in Dubai for the fifth Middle East Dive and Fish Expo at Dubai World Trade Centre from January 9-11.
The 36-year-old Canadian spent 63 hours in the cave during the rescue of 12 Thai school boys and their football coach who had got trapped inside the Tham Luang cave complex in Northern Thailand during a flash flood caused by monsoon rains in June 2018.
After numerous attempts to find the boys by the Thai Army failed, despite the assistance of army divers from several other countries, it became clear that only expert cave divers would have the experience and training to navigate the underwater system successfully.
Upon the request of the Thai government, Erik Brown and a group of 18 divers including 13 international divers and five Thai Navy Seals were part of the search and rescue team that found and ultimately rescued the boys and their coach.
Brown will now be sharing his story at the Middle East Dive and Fish Expo from 6pm in Shaikh Saeed Hall One at the Dubai World Trade Centre on Friday. Entrance to the event is free.
“I’m looking forward to meeting divers in Dubai and sharing the story of what took place in the Tham Luang cave complex with them. Some of the best divers in the world came together for this. I am so pleased that I had the opportunity to be part of such an amazing team of people that were able to make this happen.” Brown told Gulf News ahead of his Dubai talk.
“Ever since I heard of Erik I’ve wanted to invite him to Dubai and I’m excited that we’ll be able to hear the details of what happened in that cave,” added event founder Zarir Saifuddin.
The Middle East Dive and Fish Expo is under the same umbrella as the Dubai International Bicycle Exhibition and the Dubai Motorbike Festival, all three events of which are taking place at Shaikh Saeed Hall One at Dubai World Trade Centre from January 9-11 from 10am to 8pm on Thursday and Friday and 10am to 4pm on Saturday as part of the tri-event Extreme Sports Expo. Entrance is free to all three events. As part of the motorbike festival, a promotion will see the keys to a brand new Vespa hidden somewhere on site ready for a lucky winner to find.
For more information visit www.ExtremeSportsExpo.me and www.diveandfishexpo.com
