Craig Challen

Craig Challen SC , OAM , PBh (GCT) 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,[ 2] [ 3] and was joint winner of the 2019 Australian of the Year.[ 4]

He grew up in the Perth suburb of Thornlie and later on a 200 ha (500 acres) farming property in Gidgegannup; he attended Eastern Hills Senior High School in Mount Helena, near Gidgegannup.[ 5] [ 6] A veterinary surgeon by profession, Challen has made notable dives in Cocklebiddy Cave and Pearse Resurgence.[ 7] In 2010 he made a record-setting 194 m (636 ft) dive while caving in New Zealand.[ 8] In 2020 he made a second record-setting return visit to the Pearse Resurgence (New Zealand) and extended the Australasian depth record to 245 m (804 ft) with his dive partner Richard Harris.[ 9]

In 2018 Challen, along with his dive partner Richard Harris, was involved in a cave rescue operation in Thailand to evacuate 12 children and an adult from the flooded Tham Luang Cave system.[ 10] On 24 July 2018, Challen was awarded the Star of Courage (SC) and Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) by the Governor-General of Australia for his role in the rescue.[ 11] 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.[ 12] [ 13]

He is the joint-winner of the 2019 Australian of the Year award with fellow diver Richard Harris,[ 14] and 2019 Western Australian of the Year.[ 4]