Craig Challen is an Australian
technical diver and
cave explorer who played a substantial role in the
Tham Luang cave rescue. He was the recipient of the Oztek 2009 Diver of the Year award for his services to caving, and was joint winner of the 2019
Australian of the Year.
He grew up in the Perth suburb of
Thornlie and later on a farming property in
Gidgegannup; he attended
Eastern Hills Senior High School in
Mount Helena, near Gidgegannup. A
veterinary surgeon
Veterinary surgery is surgery performed on non-human animals by veterinarians, whereby the procedures fall into three broad categories: orthopaedics (bones, joints, muscles), soft tissue surgery (skin, body cavities, cardiovascular system, GI/u ...
by profession, Challen has made notable dives in
Cocklebiddy Cave and
Pearse Resurgence. In 2010 he made a record-setting dive while caving in New Zealand. In 2020 he made a second record-setting return visit to the Pearse Resurgence (New Zealand) and extended the Australasian depth record to with his dive partner
Richard Harris
Richard St John Francis Harris (1 October 1930 – 25 October 2002) was an Irish actor and singer. Having studied at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, he rose to prominence as an icon of the British New Wave. He received numerous a ...
.
Cave rescue
In 2018 Challen, along with his dive partner
Richard Harris
Richard St John Francis Harris (1 October 1930 – 25 October 2002) was an Irish actor and singer. Having studied at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, he rose to prominence as an icon of the British New Wave. He received numerous a ...
, was involved in a
cave rescue operation in Thailand to evacuate 12 children and an adult from the flooded Tham Luang Cave system. On 24 July 2018, Challen was awarded the
Star of Courage (SC) and
Medal of the Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an Australian honour that recognises Australian citizens and other persons for outstanding achievement and service. It was established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, on the advice of then ...
(OAM) by the
Governor-General of Australia for his role in the rescue.
On 7 September 2018 the King of Thailand appointed Challen as a
Knight Grand Cross (First Class) of the Most Admirable Order of the Direkgunabhorn.
Awards
He is the joint-winner of the 2019 Australian of the Year award with fellow diver Richard Harris,
and 2019
Western Australian of the Year.
[
]
See also
*, on Challen's line in Cocklebiddy Cave
Notes
References
External links
* ''National Geographic
''National Geographic'' (formerly ''The National Geographic Magazine'', sometimes branded as ''Nat Geo'') is an American monthly magazine published by National Geographic Partners. The magazine was founded in 1888 as a scholarly journal, nine ...
''
"Record Cave Dive Leaves Mystery"
published 3 May 2011.
Wet Mules homepage
.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Challen, Craig
Living people
Year of birth missing (living people)
Australian underwater divers
Australian cavers
Australian veterinarians
Cave diving explorers
Place of birth missing (living people)
Recipients of the Medal of the Order of Australia
Recipients of the Star of Courage (Australia)
Australian of the Year Award winners
Craig Challen
Tham Luang cave rescue
1960s births