The Australian cave divers who helped rescue the Thai soccer team from a flooded cave will be honoured for their "extraordinary acts of heroism".
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said the Australians involved in the rescue will be given civilian honours for their part in the international effort.
"That is one of the most extraordinary acts of heroism, professionalism, discipline, teamwork," Mr Turnbull told 3AW radio on Tuesday.
"That was an example to all of us. A team brought from all over the world showing what people of goodwill and discipline and courage can do when they work together."
Dr Richard Harris lost his father during the rescue operation. Source: AAP
Australian anaesthetist Dr Richard Harris won praise for his key efforts in medically assessing the 12 boys and their coach in the cave deep underground.
"He is one of the greatest examples of every Australian value we hold dear," Mr Turnbull said.
Dr Harris has described as his return from Thailand as "bittersweet", revealing he received word his father had died a short time after the rescue.
“Sadly my father died at the end of the rescue which was a bit of a bittersweet moment and that’s why I’ve been very grateful for everyone respecting my privacy while I’m dealing with that with my family and just trying to get back to normal life as fast as possible,” he said.
“I’m hoping to get back to work and go through the funeral and celebrate dad’s life and get everything back to normal as quickly as possible.”
Dr Harris praised the dedicated, international, team that carried out the 17-day rescue operation, calling them “an amazing bunch of people to work with”.
The "Wild Boars" soccer team recovering in hospital after their ordeal, earlier this year. Source: AAP
Dr Harris, who has 30 years of diving experience, is well known in the cave diving community, including as the leader of record-breaking missions to explore a dark and dangerous underwater cave system on New Zealand's South Island.
In 2011 and 2012, he led a team of Aussie divers to record depths of 194 and 221 metres in what's believed to be one of the world's deepest cold water caves, searching for the source of the Pearse River.
