The harrowing true story of the cave rescue that inspired 'Thirteen Lives'

Thirteen Lives tells the story of a group of 12 boys and their football coach who become trapped in a network of caves after flooding blocks their way out. The group is eventually rescued by a team of divers who undertake the dangerous journey to find and rescue them.

The plot of the film is based on a real event that happened not so long ago. On June 23, 2018, 12 boys aged 11 to 16 and their assistant coach, Ekapol Chanthawong, disappeared while exploring Tham Luang Nang Non, a cave complex stretching between Thailand and Myanmar. They planned to celebrate a player's birthday in the caves, which they often explored, but the team got stranded when torrential rain caused a flood that blocked their exit.

While in the cave, the team survived by drinking the water that ran down the walls and digging a hole where they all huddled for warmth. Their trainer, also a monk, taught them meditation techniques to help them stay calm while waiting to be rescued.

After their bikes and bags were found near the entrance to the cave, Thai Navy SEALs and a British diver who lived in the area conducted a preliminary search of the cave, concluding that the waters were too troubles so that they can move on. An international call for help brought in rescue divers from the US Air Force, the Australian Specialist Response Group and the Beijing Peaceland Foundation, among others. After several unsuccessful rescue attempts, British Cave Rescue Council divers Richard Stanton and John Volanthen finally found the boys on July 2, about four kilometers from the mouth of the cave.

It was only the beginning of the journey, which required divers to swim against strong currents, sometimes in channels only one meter wide. Some of the boys couldn't swim, and even if they did, the mission was dangerous even for expert divers. Eventually, 18 divers were sent in, armed with