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Craig Challen

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Craig Challen
SC, OAM
Challen in 2018
Born1965 (age 60–61)[1]: 23 
Perth, Western Australia
EducationMurdoch University
Occupations
  • Veterinarian
  • Businessman
Known forTham Luang cave rescue
PartnerHeather Endall[2]
Medical career
FieldVeterinary medicine
Awards

Craig Challen SC, OAM, PBh (GCT) (born 1965) is an Australian cave diver and retired veterinary surgeon 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,[3][4] and was joint winner of the 2019 Australian of the Year with his long-time dive partner Richard Harris.[5]

Early life and career

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Challen 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.[6][7]

Challen graduated from Murdoch University in 1987 with a degree in veterinary science. He co-founded Vetwest animal hospitals in Perth. Challen retired as a veterinarian in 2017.[8]

Cave diving

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Challen learned to cave dive in 1997.[1]: 28  He has made notable dives in Cocklebiddy Cave, Australia, Pearse Resurgence, New Zealand, and Boesmansgat, South Africa.[9] In 2010 he made a record-setting 194 m (636 ft) dive while caving in New Zealand.[10] In 2020 he made a second record-setting return visit to the Pearse Resurgence and extended the Australasian depth record to 245 m (804 ft) with Richard Harris.[11] In 2023, Challen supported Harris' experimental use of hydrogen as a rebreather diluent gas while diving to 230 metres (750 ft).[12] In 2024, Challen and Harris dived to 272 metres (892 ft) at Boesmansgat while utilizing hydrogen.[13][a]

In 2011, Challen and Harris recovered the body of their friend Agnes Milowka from Tank Cave in South Australia.[1]: 44 

Tham Luang cave rescue

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In 2018 Challen, along with Harris, was involved in a cave rescue operation in Thailand to evacuate 12 children and their assistant coach from the flooded Tham Luang Cave system.[14] Challen and Harris co-authored Against All Odds which details their accounts of the rescue.[1]

Awards

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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 Thai cave rescue.[15] 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.[16][17] Challen received an honorary degree from Murdoch University, his alma mater.[8]

Challen is the joint-winner of the 2019 Australian of the Year award with Richard Harris,[18] and 2019 Western Australian of the Year.[5]

Personal life

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Challen pilots and owns both a helicopter and an aeroplane.[1]: 31 [19]

See also

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  • Deep diving – underwater diving to a depth beyond the norm

Notes

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  1. ↑ Harris also conducted a dive to 284 metres (932 ft).

References

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  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Harris, Richard; Challen, Craig (2019). Against all odds: The inside account of the Thai cave rescue and the courageous Australians at the heart of it. Penguin Books. ISBN 9781760899455. Archived from the original on 19 January 2024. Retrieved 19 January 2024.
  2. ↑ Turner, Rebecca (11 July 2018). "Thai cave rescue: At the heart of the operation was an Aussie diving group called the Wet Mules". ABC. Retrieved 31 July 2026.
  3. ↑ "November 2010 – Page 2".
  4. ↑ "West Australian Divers • View topic - OZTEK 2009 & Congrats Craig Challen!". Archived from the original on 15 March 2011. Retrieved 24 March 2011.
  5. 1 2 "Thai cave hero wins top WA honour". The West Australian. 30 October 2018. Retrieved 30 October 2018.
  6. ↑ Fleming, Katherine (25 January 2019). "Humble hero". The West Australian. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
  7. ↑ "Australian of the Year". Helena College. 3 May 2019. Archived from the original on 12 March 2021. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
  8. 1 2 "Murdoch honour for Thai cave rescue alumni". Murdoch University. 19 September 2018. Retrieved 29 July 2026.
  9. ↑ "Craig Challen | Cave Diving Down Under".
  10. ↑ "Aussie Divers Map Cave Depths | Rec N Tech Asia". Archived from the original on 25 August 2011. Retrieved 24 March 2011.
  11. ↑ "Pearse Resurgence 2020". 3 April 2020. Retrieved 19 August 2020.
  12. ↑ Stewart, Ashley (31 May 2023). "N=1: The Inside Story of the First-Ever Hydrogen CCR Dive". INDEPTH. Archived from the original on 3 July 2025. Retrieved 4 May 2025.
  13. ↑ Harris, Richard (28 May 2024). "Boesmansgat "Dark Side of the Moon" Expedition". facebook. Retrieved 30 July 2026.
  14. ↑ "Hero doctor's father dies". The Australian. (subscription required)
  15. ↑ "Australian Honours" (PDF). Government Notices Gazette. Canberra: Commonwealth of Australia. 24 July 2018. ISSN 0819-7105. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 July 2018. Retrieved 25 July 2018.
  16. ↑ "His Majesty honours 188 for role in cave rescue operation". The Nation. Thailand. 7 September 2018. Archived from the original on 2 June 2019. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
  17. ↑ "Cave boys claim life remains the same. His Majesty to confer about 200 decorations". Bangkok Post (in Thai). Retrieved 24 October 2018.
  18. ↑ Zhou, Naaman (25 January 2019). "Australian of the year 2019: Thai cave rescue divers win rare joint award". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 January 2019.
  19. ↑ "Dr Craig Challen SC OAM - Against All Odds-the story of the Tham Luang cave rescue - THETA 2025". Council of Australasian University Directors of Information Technology. Retrieved 31 July 2026.
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