Australian Rescue Diver
Dr. Richard Harris: Biography at a Glance
- Australian hero who led the daring rescue of 12 boys trapped in Thailand's Tham Luang cave, braving treacherous conditions to bring them all to safety.
- Has a professional and voluntary interest in search and rescue operations, establishing the first sump rescue training course in Australasia.
- One of Australia's leading technical divers, he is a member of the Wet Mules, a diving group that takes on some of the world's deepest caves.
- Works professionally in anesthesia and aeromedical retrieval medicine.
Biography
Dr. Richard “Harry” Harris works in anesthesia and aeromedical retrieval medicine in Adelaide, South Australia. He is notable for his efforts in leading the rescue of a soccer team of 12 boys and their coach in the Thailand’s Tham Luang cave in 2018.
Harry has a professional and voluntary interest in search and rescue operations, establishing the first sump rescue training course in Australasia. By building relationships with emergency services in Australia, he has been preparing for an event like the 2018 Tham Luang cave rescue, which presented an opportunity to put this training to work.
Harry has expertise in diving, wilderness and remote area health. His passion for cave diving goes back to the 1980’s and has taken him to the corners of the globe in search of new adventures.
Among their many dives, Harry and the Wet Mules have explored some of the world’s deepest caves, including the Pearse Resurgence in New Zealand to 229m depth, Daxing Spring in China to 213m and Song Hong Cave in Thailand to 196m.
He is an enthusiastic underwater photographer and videographer, capturing his adventures from his helmet’s camera.
