Ex-soldier, comedian and aspiring Martian is the Aussie face of Laos cave rescue

Former prospective astronaut Josh Richards is the only Australian in the Laos cave rescue team. (Supplied: Josh Richards)

A soldier turned comedian turned prospective astronaut is the Australian face in a team hoping to find two people still missing in a cave in Laos.

South Australian Josh Richards was called into the rescue operation late last week, when seven people were still in the cave.

A member of the Soggy Wombats cave diving team, Mr Richards has played a key role in discovering extensions to multiple caves on SA's Limestone Coast.

In 2022, Mr Richards made headlines after he and dive companion Matthew Aisbett found 400 metres of passage extending from Mount Gambier's famous Engelbrecht Cave.

Josh Richards has made a name for himself by squeezing through tight restrictions. (Supplied: Josh Richards)

Then, just last year, the Soggy Wombats announced they had found another cave extension, a 100m tunnel at Pines Cave near Tantanoola.

Despite all this, Mr Richards told 891 ABC Adelaide he was actually claustrophobic.

"I love cave exploration, and I force myself through drive caves to get to the water," he said.

"I don't experience claustrophobia underwater, interestingly enough, and I think that's related to being weightless."

Josh Richards and Will Passos both went cave exploring in Japan recently. (Supplied: Facebook)

Soggy Wombats teammate Will Passos has been Mr Richards's friend since the two took part in basic training in 2019.

The pair had just returned to Australia after spending time exploring caves in Japan.

"His small frame helps to get through a few tight spots and he's not afraid of that.

"He's very comfortable on the water, he's very competent on the water and as a dive team, we trust in each other."

Josh Richards performed stand-up comedy internationally as a ukulele-playing koala. (Supplied: Josh Richards)

While his caving exploits have taken the limelight in recent years, it was Mr Richards's intergalactic ambitions that first made news.

After a physics degree, and time spent in the army, navy and British Royal Marine Commandos, Mr Richards found himself in the world of stand-up comedy.

Performing internationally as a ukulele-playing koala, he eventually gave up his comedy exploits in 2016.

During that time he applied for a one-way ticket to Mars, as part of the eventually doomed Mars One project.

By 2021, he was one of the final 100 candidates being considered, from an initial 200,000 applicants.

Josh Richards previously lived in Mount Gambier, before moving to Adelaide. (ABC South East SA: Bec Whetham)

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