What started out as a mini break from routine for a dozen boys and their football coach on June 23, ended up in two-week long ordeal that made the entire world turn towards a nondescript cave in northern Thailand.
The boys of the Wild Boars football team and their coach cycled to the Tham Luang Nang Non cave after a regular practice session. Little did they know that they would be trapped inside the cave due to heavy rainfall and landslips that followed. But the perseverance of the Thailand government, its Navy SEALs, together with the technical and expert support from many countries, and probably the prayers of millions, ensured the rescue of the boys and their coach after 17 days.
Photos from AP, Reuters and Getty Images
Text inputs from AP