Thai cave rescue: Wild Boars pay tribute to Thai Navy SEAL with sketch

The Wild Boars soccer team has paid tribute to Thai Navy SEAL Saman Gunan by sketching a portrait in his memory. 

The 12 boys and their coach were told of Mr Gunan's death - whose oxygen supply ran out during the rescue mission - while they recover in hospital. 

Last night, a photo of the boys gathered around a table and holding the sketch with personal messages emerged.

Mr Gunan, 38, was a volunteer who had been engaged in the important mission of helping replace oxygen canisters along the route to where the boys were sheltering to make the hours-long passage possible.

He collapsed and died on July 6 while diving.

The former SEAL is being honoured as a national hero.

He was granted a posthumous promotion to lieutenant commander by Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn Bodindradebayavarangkun and given a royal decoration.

The new photos of the soccer team show them getting healthier every day with the boys expected to be discharged later this week.

The boys are seen wearing surgical masks, a safeguard against infection that's been taken since the last of them were pulled from caves on Tuesday, ending an 18-day ordeal.

It is understood the team is eager to eat their favourite comfort foods after their release from hospital.

The team was plucked from the flooded Tham Luang cave last week in a dramatic three-day operation.

Public Health Minister Dr Piyasakol Sakolsattayatorn, who led the news conference at Chiang Rai Prachanukroh Hospital, said all 13 — the dozen boys, who range in age from 11 to 16, and their 25-year-old coach — were expected to be discharged from the hospital on Thursday.

"All of the 13 people, their physical bodies are strong, and fit. Regarding infections, through the medical evaluations in the first days there may be some of them that had minor pneumonia, but now all is cleared, no fever," Dr Piyasakol said.

Several were also reported earlier to be recovering from minor lung and middle ear infections.

The Wild Boars were back in training yesterday, waiting to be joined by their coach and 12 teammates.

With AP.