The 12 boys rescued from a flooded cave in Thailand have spoken publically of their ordeal for the first time, describing the “moment of miracle” when divers found them.

Adul Sam-on, 14, the only member of the group who speaks English, told reporters he could only say “hello” when the British divers surfaced.

The boys were trapped in the the Tham Luang caves for more than two weeks. They left hospital earlier on Wednesday and are on their way home.They appeared in their football kit at a news conference in Chiang Rai, alongside members of the Thai Navy Seals who helped rescue them.

One boy described how they had lived only on water from the stones of the cave. “Water is clean,” he said. “No food.”

Some said they would learn from their ordeal. One promised to be “more careful and live my life the fullest”. Another said: “This experience taught me to be more patient and strong.”

Chiang Rai’s provincial governor, Prachon Pratsukan, said this would be the boys’ “only official media interview”, saying that there would “be no more speaking with the press after this”.

Questions submitted by journalists were vetted ahead of time, and have been screened by a child psychiatrist to ensure they do not distress the boys.

There are also plans for the boys to be ordained as Buddhist monks for a short period of time, a tradition for males in Thailand who have experienced a misfortune, BBC reported.