We covered this story in several reports.

Over a 1,000 people were involved in this international rescue, including a small team of British Cave Rescue Council (BCRC) extreme cave diving explorers and surface control specialists.

British Cave Rescue Council

Britain has a long history of cave rescue, with some of the teams being in existence for more than 70 years across the UK and Ireland. Therefore this is not the first time that BCRC volunteers have assisted with overseas cave rescues. BCRC cave diving experts have provided specialist services in various countries including France, Ireland Mexico and Norway.

The British Cave Rescue Council is a co-ordinating body for voluntary underground rescue in the British Isles. It is a charity entirely funded by donations. The money it receives goes to support rescues in the UK and overseas, ie buying relevant equipment, such as comms kit.

Communication is important in a rescue, hence four 'Heyphones' were relayed across the UK at short notice by the Police to London Heathrow, so that they could be flown out to the Thai cave rescue. A Heyphone is a specialist cave radio system that can transmit hundreds of metres through solid rock, and which will allow radio communication between the surface and cave. At present the BCRC are in the process of replacing these.

Where's the EUROTEK Raffle funds going?

The plan is that the EUROTEK.18 raffle funds will be given to the BCRC and these funds would be used to support remote cave rescues in the World. This could be by sending specialist equipment and / or rescue specialists.

How can I buy a ticket?

Anyone who is over the age of 18 can buy a raffle ticket. You do not have to be present to win this rebreather. However if you are not trained to dive this unit, you need to gain training before you can dive this KISS rebreather.

You can buy tickets online now. Each ticket is £25 each or you can buy five tickets for £100.

Tickets will also be available for cash on Saturday 1 December 2018 at The Rep Theatre, Birmingham and at the EUROTEK Christmas Party later that night.

What can you win?

KISS and Shearwater Research have kindly donated the following KISS Spirit Sidewinder Rebreather worth US$5,785.00.

What's included

O2 First Stage
DSV
Hardwired Petrel deco computer in primary port (kindly donated by Shearwater Research
Retractable loop hoses
Counterlung
Adapter plate (KISS will need to know which side mount harness you are using)
ADV
Canisters
KISS standard MAV

KISS has said that you have the option to customise and upgrade this unit. This customisation / upgrade is not included in this prize.

The options include

Secondary displays (will need Splitters)
Dual button MAV...
Syntactic insulation foam on the scrubber canisters (recommended for cold water diving)
Coloured scrubber canisters
Spare parts pouch
Sidewinder carry bag

Raffle Terms and Conditons

The cost of each ticket entry into the raffle is £25. You may purchase more than one ticket.

On-line raffle ticket sales will close on 27 November 2018. Cash raffle ticket sales will close on 1 December 2018.

No tickets can be sold to, on behalf of, or for a person under the age of 18 years.

If a ticket is sold unknowingly to, on behalf of, or for a person under the age of 18 he / she will be exempt from the raffle and will forfeit his / her prize and their ticket entry money will be returned.

Monies raised by this raffle will support diving rescue, as detailed above.

EUROTEK accepts no responsibility for raffle tickets which are lost, damaged, illegible or from which the prize-winner cannot be identified, or for any technical failure or event which may cause the competition to be disrupted or corrupted.

The raffle ticket will be drawn randomly during the 2018 EUROTEK Christmas Party on Saturday 1 December 2018. (EUROTEK is looking to see if this can be streamed live on social media).

The result of the raffle draw is final. No correspondence will be entered into.

All winners are required to co-operate with EUROTEK's right to publish their win as and where deemed appropriate, and to provide proof of diving certification when requested.

There is no cash alternative prize.

It is the responsibility of the purchaser to check their details held by EUROTEK are correct. Purchasers are also responsible for informing EUROTEK of any future changes in their personal details, and EUROTEK will update the details within three working days of the notification.

The recipient(s) of this KISS Rebreather must ensure that they are properly trained and certified to use this model rebreather. If they are not certified, then suitable training must be undertaken before they receive the equipment. In this instance the rebreather will be shipped to a rebreather instructor chosen by the winner. EUROTEK accepts no liability for the recipients using the prize listed.