Operation to rescue boys trapped in Thai cave resumes

An operation to rescue a group of Thai boys and their soccer coach trapped in a flooded cave resumed on Monday, said several officials with knowledge of the operation at the Tham Luang cave in the northern Thai province of Chiang Rai.

Nine members of the “Wild Boars” team are still inside the Tham Luang cave after foreign and Thai divers guided four boys out safely late on Sunday. They had to hold the rescued boys close to their bodies to bring them out and each had to wear an oxygen mask to enable normal breathing, authorities said.

The daring and dangerous bid to rescue the boys - aged between 11 and 16 - was suspended by the mission chief late on Sunday to replenish oxygen supplies and make new preparations, according to Reuters.

Authorities have said the mission could take three or four days to complete.

Interior Minister Anupong Paochinda told reporters the rescued boys were in good health in hospital but did not give further details.

Authorities have not confirmed the identities of the first four boys freed. Some of the boys’ parents told Reuters they had not been told who had been rescued and that they were not allowed to visit the hospital.