Petty Officer Beirut Pakbara fell ill with a blood infection while working to retrieve the 12 young boys and their coach, the Thai Navy said in a statement posted late Friday on their Facebook page.

After the 18-day ordeal came to an end last June — with the entire team emerging safely from Tham Luang cave in northern Thailand — he was under close supervision by doctors during his yearlong illness.

“But his condition worsened and he died from the blood infection,” said the Navy, expressing “profound sadness” to his family.