Discovery Channel Announces OPERATION THAI CAVE RESCUE Documentary In the Works

From the moment the heartbreaking news broke that 12 young Thai soccer players and their 25-year-old coach were stuck in a cave complex near the Myanmar border, the world has been glued to the rescue and recovery details. For over two weeks, the facts of how the group ended up in the cave and the subsequent mobilization of rescue workers around the globe has been a testament of just how powerful human spirit can be-while the sudden and tragic death of one of the rescue divers underscored the seriousness of the situation.

But as each boy has been pulled out, there remains many questions. Why were these boys there? How did they survive for nearly two weeks without food and without knowing how to swim? What will their physical and mental state be moving forward? What would it take to get this group out of this treacherous cave, and why did the unique geology of this cave present so many challenges? OPERATION THAI CAVE RESCUE will be the first documentary to explore and unpack every angle of this remarkable rescue operation.

Produced in association with ITN Productions, Discovery's OPERATION THAI CAVE RESCUE unpacks the human and scientific drama behind one of the most difficult and heart-palpitating rescues attempted in human history. With exclusive early access to men and women - including family members - who have been living and breathing the events, OPERATION THAI CAVE RESCUE focuses on the triumph of the human spirit and the extraordinary scientific and technological innovations used to complete this miracle rescue. As the clock continues to tick, and predicted Monson rains loom above, rescuers in the cave and above ground, plot their next move. Featuring interviews with medical and mental health experts, renowned cave diving instructors and the world's leading cave diving rescue experts, the film paints a full picture of what the boys and their rescuers were experiencing and how these heroic divers could recover what was thought initially to be an impossible feat.

As the last boys and their coach were rescued on July 10, the world finally exhaled that breathe that has been held for 18 days. Now we collectively search for answers to understand the mystery of what happened and how, with one slight difference, the outcome might have been different.

OPERATION THAI CAVE RESCUE is produced for Discovery Channel by ITN Productions. Jon Bardin and Andrew O'Connell serve as executive producers for Discovery. Ian Russell serves as Executive Producer for ITN Productions

About Discovery Channel:

Discovery Channel is dedicated to creating the highest quality non-fiction content that informs and entertains its consumers about the world in all its wonder, diversity and amazement. The network, which is distributed to 100.8 million U.S. homes, can be seen in 224 countries and territories, offering a signature mix of compelling, high-end production values and vivid cinematography across genres including, Science and technology, exploration, adventure, history and in-depth, behind-the-scenes glimpses at the people, places and organizations that shape and share our world. For more information please visit www.discovery.com.

About Discovery:

Discovery, Inc. (DISCA, DISCB, DISCK) is a global leader in real life entertainment, serving a passionate audience of superfans around the world with content that inspires, informs and entertains. Discovery delivers over 8,000 hours of original programming each year and has category leadership across deeply loved content genres around the world. Available in 220 countries and territories and 50 languages, Discovery is a platform innovator, reaching viewers on all screens, including TV Everywhere products such as the GO portfolio of apps and Discovery Kids Play; direct-to-consumer streaming services such as Eurosport Player and Motor Trend OnDemand; and digital-first and social content from Group Nine Media. Discovery's portfolio of premium brands includes Discovery Channel, HGTV, Food Network, TLC, Investigation Discovery, Travel Channel, Turbo/Velocity, Animal Planet, and Science Channel, as well as OWN: OPRAH WINFREY NETWORK in the U.S., Discovery Kids in Latin America, and Eurosport, the leading provider of locally relevant, premium sports and Home of the Olympic Games across Europe. For more information, please visit www.corporate.discovery.com and follow @DiscoveryIncTV across social platforms.

About ITN Productions:

ITN Productions is ITN's Oscar-nominated in-house production business producing nonfiction TV programs across factual, entertainment and current affairs for U.S. networks and broadcasters around the world. ITN Productions makes major global series and specials such as new Netflix hit series "Drug Lords", "Killer INSTINCT with Chris Hansen" (Discovery ID), "Elizabeth" (Channel 5 / SBS), "Flight 370: The Missing Links" (DNI), and "The Road to Waco" (Smithsonian Channel). ITN Productions is a leader in fast-turnaround documentaries such as "Super Hurricanes" (Science Channel) and "Campus Killer Santa Barbara" (A+E). Observational and factual entertainment programs include "easyJet: Inside the Cockpit" (ITV) and "Going Back Giving Back" (BBC1). In addition to factual programming, ITNP is Britain's leading independent producer of current affairs, including ITV's "After the News," "Dispatches" for Channel 4; and, and live debates such as "The Great British Break-Up?" and "Europe: The Final Debate with Jeremy Paxman" (Channel 4). Since January 2018 ITN Productions has produced flagship daily daytime show "The Wright Stuff" for Channel 5. Recent awards include an Emmy for "Children of Syria" and two consecutive International Emmys for "Escape From ISIS" and "Children on the Frontline," as well as a Peabody and two BAFTAS for "Children on the Frontline."

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