text: Chiang Rai, Thailand (CNN) A medical assessment of the 12 boys and their football coach stuck in a cave in Northern Thailand concluded that it was too dangerous to try to move the group out Thursday, according to a member of the Thai Navy SEALs who is not authorized to speak to the media. 
   
   The SEALs have started to pump oxygen into the chamber. 
   
   Separately, a new doctor's report highlighted that two of the boys and the coach were suffering with exhaustion from malnutrition. 
   
   Fresh details of the operation underway at the Tham Luang Nang Non to free the team were emerging, as rescuers pushed ahead with multiple plans to extricate the group trapped underground for almost two weeks. 
   
   More rain is forecast this weekend, putting pressure on rescuers to formulate a plan to extract the boys before flood waters rise any higher. 
   
   Huge volumes of water are being pumped out of the cave complex each day, but the narrow, winding passages inside are still flooded, meaning diving through the murky water is currently the only way in and out. 
   
   Rescuers entering the cave complex located in northern Thailand have to navigate dark, flooded tunnels for six hours to reach the team. It takes another five hours to return to the entrance. 
   
   An additional 30 SEALs arrived on site to reinforce rescue operations, according to Captain Supachai Thanasarnsakorn, deputy chief of the Thai Navy SEALs. They join the 80 already involved in the rescue operation comprising active, reserve and former SEALs. 
   
   Around the camp which has sprung up near the cave entrance, Thai military divers have set up an encampment with diving gear and equipment, while people from the local community hand out food to rescuers, other volunteers and the small army of press on site. 
   
   Trying to stop the water 
   
   The boys were in good spirits despite spending almost two weeks underground, Chiang Rai governor Narongsak Osottanakorn said. 
   
   "I confirm here again that they are in good health and they are smiling and playing around," he said. 
   
   International rescue effort Thailand may be leading the search to free 12 boys and their coach from a cave in the country's north, but many other countries are contributing assistance. Australia -- Australian police divers are taking part in rescue efforts and helping with planning. China -- Six rescue specialists from NGO Beijing Peaceland Foundation are assisting Thai divers. Israel -- Israel's Maxtech Networks is providing radio and communication equipment. Laos and Myanmar -- Thailand's neighboring countries each sent rescue workers and divers. UK -- Two UK divers were first to discover the boys, earning one a commendation from the British Cave Rescue Council. US -- US Indo-Pacific Command (PACOM) sent 30 military personnel, including divers. 
   
   The last images the world saw of the boys was on Wednesday in a video where they introduced themselves one-by-one, saying "I am healthy." 
   
   Since they were found late Monday local time by a duo of British expert cave divers , Thai Navy SEALs have stayed with the team, tending minor wounds and giving them food to build up their strength. 
   
   The boys remain weak after spending days in the darkness, barely moving from the small, muddy ledge, away from the water. 
   
   While rescuers are trying to pump enough water out of the cave to allow the boys to simply walk out, Thai Navy SEALs are also teaching them how to scuba dive. 
   
   The boys would need to wear full-face diving masks to enter the narrow tunnels in moving water, though many experts say this would be a dangerous option for novice divers. 
   
   In an attempt to maintain the boys' morale, rescue teams have prioritized installing a line of communication between the boys and their parents. 
   
   However, they were still attempting to connect them Thursday after earlier efforts failed when the line became damaged after falling into water. CNN saw an old-style military phone and loops of cable being carried into the cave by engineers. 
   
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   Search for other entrances continues 
   
   As divers work in tunnels deep below ground, teams are also scouring the hillside above the caves, looking for possible entry points to the chamber where the boys are sheltering. 
   
   "We are drawing our jungle trekking resources together. There are about 20 to 30 teams," Osottanakorn said. 
   
   "Now we are going to walk around that area to search every inch, (to see if) there are chimneys or holes where we can climb down, and we may adjust our plan." 
   
   The teams searching for another route through a natural chimney were dispatched following reports that the boys had told divers they heard dogs barking, a rooster crowing and children playing, possibly indicating a shaft leading up to the surface. 
   
   "There has been reports that kids have heard sounds from chickens and birds," Ben Reymenants, a Belgian who owns a diving shop in Thailand and has been assisting with the rescue efforts, told CNN. 
   
   "Were those hallucinations or did they really hear it? Because that would mean there is livestock nearby or at least a forest which would make an alternative entrance possible." 
   
   Osottanakorn said that teams on the surface were no longer drilling into the rock to create new shafts, but are focusing efforts on finding existing chimneys. 
   
   "We are no longer digging -- we will find a way that can give us access (without digging) direct to the area where the boys are," he said. 
   
   Rains a constant concern 
   
   Rescue coordinators are warily eying the skies for further downpours, which could imperil the rescue mission. 
   
   "In the previous days we were fighting with time. And now we are working against water," Osottanakorn said. 
   
   "We are draining out as much as our capacity allows. But water continues to flow in, no matter how many holes have been blocked, water still continues to pour in." 
   
   Osottanakorn said rescuers were at the mercy of the rainy season, and may have to act quickly to beat fresh downpours. 
   
   "If we must evacuate (the boys) out before they are ready due to the rain ... we will do so, but it will be the very last resort to do so," he said. 
   
   CNN Weather reports that while rain can't be ruled out, there is a likelihood that the area will remain relatively dry until at least Saturday. The chance of rainfall increases from Sunday, and alongside the increased rainfall is the threat of heavier downpours. 
   
   International efforts and support 
   
   Thai Navy divers have brought in substantial supplies -- including food and water for at least two weeks along with aluminum blankets, with support from Australian and other international divers, according to a statement from the Australian Federal Police (AFP). 
   
   The AFP's Specialist Response Group personnel are among the many divers and support staff who have been sent by a number of nations. 
   
   Photos: Photos: Thai soccer team rescued from cave Photos: Photos: Thai soccer team rescued from cave The rescued team attends a news conference in Chiang Rai, Thailand, after being discharged from the hospital on Wednesday, July 18. Hide Caption 1 of 54 Photos: Photos: Thai soccer team rescued from cave Members of the soccer team greet well-wishers as they arrive for the news conference on July 18. Hide Caption 2 of 54 Photos: Photos: Thai soccer team rescued from cave The team poses with a sketched portrait of Saman Kunan, a former Thai Navy SEAL who died on July 6 while returning from an operation to deliver oxygen tanks to the cave. He ran out of air while underwater, an official said. Hide Caption 3 of 54 Photos: Photos: Thai soccer team rescued from cave Thai Navy SEALs pose for a photo after the rescue effort was finished on July 10. One of them was a doctor who stayed with the team for a week after the group was found alive on July 2. Hide Caption 4 of 54 Photos: Photos: Thai soccer team rescued from cave Rescuers carry one of the boys out of the cave. Hide Caption 5 of 54 Photos: Photos: Thai soccer team rescued from cave Divers wave through floodwaters in the cave. Each rescue took multiple hours. Hide Caption 6 of 54 Photos: Photos: Thai soccer team rescued from cave Chiang Rai Governor Narongsak Osotthanakorn speaks during a news conference held after the rescue was finished on July 10. Hide Caption 7 of 54 Photos: Photos: Thai soccer team rescued from cave A helicopter transports rescued boys to the hospital on July 10. Hide Caption 8 of 54 Photos: Photos: Thai soccer team rescued from cave People watch and cheer as a helicopter flies toward an airstrip to transport one of the rescued boys to a hospital. Four boys were rescued on July 8, another four were rescued on July 9, and the rest were rescued on July 10. Hide Caption 9 of 54 Photos: Photos: Thai soccer team rescued from cave Rescue workers leave after all members of the team had been saved. Hide Caption 10 of 54 Photos: Photos: Thai soccer team rescued from cave This photo tweeted by tech entrepreneur Elon Musk shows rescue efforts during the three-day mission. Musk tweeted early July 10 that he had visited the cave and left a mini-submarine there for future use. Hide Caption 11 of 54 Photos: Photos: Thai soccer team rescued from cave Members of the Royal Thai Navy are pictured with the team inside the cave. Hide Caption 12 of 54 Photos: Photos: Thai soccer team rescued from cave The boys received medical attention after being found alive on July 2. Hide Caption 13 of 54 Photos: Photos: Thai soccer team rescued from cave An ambulance believed to be carrying one of the rescued boys heads to the hospital on July 10. Hide Caption 14 of 54 Photos: Photos: Thai soccer team rescued from cave Rescuers walk toward the entrance of the cave as rescue operations resumed on July 10. Hide Caption 15 of 54 Photos: Photos: Thai soccer team rescued from cave Hospital staff and a police officer are seen during a news conference that was held on July 10. The eight boys that had been rescued on July 8 and 9 were being treated in an isolation ward in a Chiang Rai hospital. Hide Caption 16 of 54 Photos: Photos: Thai soccer team rescued from cave Thai police and military officers use umbrellas to shield a rescued boy before he was transported to a hospital on July 9. Hide Caption 17 of 54 Photos: Photos: Thai soccer team rescued from cave An ambulance exits the cave area on July 9. Hide Caption 18 of 54 Photos: Photos: Thai soccer team rescued from cave Emergency responders surround a helicopter on July 8. Hide Caption 19 of 54 Photos: Photos: Thai soccer team rescued from cave Rescue teams arrange a water-pumping system at the cave's entrance on July 7. Hide Caption 20 of 54 Photos: Photos: Thai soccer team rescued from cave Ambulances wait outside a hospital where the rescued boys were treated. Hide Caption 21 of 54 Photos: Photos: Thai soccer team rescued from cave Thai military personnel walk into a cave during rescue operations. Hide Caption 22 of 54 Photos: Photos: Thai soccer team rescued from cave Military personnel work inside a cave. Hide Caption 23 of 54 Photos: Photos: Thai soccer team rescued from cave An ambulance leaves the scene of the rescue effort on July 8. Hide Caption 24 of 54 Photos: Photos: Thai soccer team rescued from cave This undated photo, released via the Thailand Navy SEAL Facebook page, shows rescuers with their hands locked. The caption said, "We Thai and the international teams join forces to bring the young Wild Boars home." The Wild Boars is the name of the soccer team the boys play on. Hide Caption 25 of 54 Photos: Photos: Thai soccer team rescued from cave Family members pray in front of a Buddhist statue near the cave on July 8. Hide Caption 26 of 54 Photos: Photos: Thai soccer team rescued from cave Emergency workers carry oxygen tanks as rescue operations begin. Hide Caption 27 of 54 Photos: Photos: Thai soccer team rescued from cave Thai soldiers work to connect pipes that help water from entering a cave. Hide Caption 28 of 54 Photos: Photos: Thai soccer team rescued from cave Thai forest rangers examine a map as they review their rescue options on July 8. Hide Caption 29 of 54 Photos: Photos: Thai soccer team rescued from cave This image, taken from video on July 2, shows the team trapped inside the cave. That was the day divers found them alive. Hide Caption 30 of 54 Photos: Photos: Thai soccer team rescued from cave Divers were able to bring food, blankets and other supplies to the boys while experts determined the best way to get them out safely. The team was found around two kilometers (1.24 miles) into the cave and somewhere between 800 meters to one kilometer below the surface, according to a British Cave Rescue Council briefing note. Hide Caption 31 of 54 Photos: Photos: Thai soccer team rescued from cave The team was found alive by British divers. The search brought rescue teams from all over the world. Hide Caption 32 of 54 Photos: Photos: Thai soccer team rescued from cave A Thai military medic provides first aid to one of the boys. Hide Caption 33 of 54 Photos: Photos: Thai soccer team rescued from cave The body of Saman Kunan, a former Thai Navy SEAL, is carried during a repatriation and religious rites ceremony on July 6. Kunan died Friday as he returned from an operation to deliver oxygen tanks to the cave. He ran out of air while underwater, an official said. Hide Caption 34 of 54 Photos: Photos: Thai soccer team rescued from cave Thai police take a break for breakfast as rescue operations continue on July 4. Hide Caption 35 of 54 Photos: Photos: Thai soccer team rescued from cave Water is pumped out of the cave on July 3. Hide Caption 36 of 54 Photos: Photos: Thai soccer team rescued from cave Workers fix the road leading to the cave on July 3. Hide Caption 37 of 54 Photos: Photos: Thai soccer team rescued from cave Divers prepare a light to be used for the underwater search on July 2. Hide Caption 38 of 54 Photos: Photos: Thai soccer team rescued from cave Rescue workers wait at the entrance to the cave on July 2. Hide Caption 39 of 54 Photos: Photos: Thai soccer team rescued from cave Some of the team's family members celebrate after receiving news that the team was alive. Hide Caption 40 of 54 Photos: Photos: Thai soccer team rescued from cave Technicians lift water pumps to the drilling site on July 1. Hide Caption 41 of 54 Photos: Photos: Thai soccer team rescued from cave Soldiers and rescuers work outside the cave complex on July 1. Hide Caption 42 of 54 Photos: Photos: Thai soccer team rescued from cave Monks attend a Buddhist prayer for the team on July 1. Hide Caption 43 of 54 Photos: Photos: Thai soccer team rescued from cave Scuba tanks are delivered to the search site on July 1. Hide Caption 44 of 54 Photos: Photos: Thai soccer team rescued from cave Rescue workers carry water-pumping equipment into the cave on July 1. Hide Caption 45 of 54 Photos: Photos: Thai soccer team rescued from cave A Thai Air Force worker drops near a possible cave opening on June 30. Hide Caption 46 of 54 Photos: Photos: Thai soccer team rescued from cave British cave diver Robert Charles Harper explores an opening on June 29. Hide Caption 47 of 54 Photos: Photos: Thai soccer team rescued from cave Relatives of the trapped team members pray on June 27. Hide Caption 48 of 54 Photos: Photos: Thai soccer team rescued from cave Family members waited more than a week for news of their loved ones. Hide Caption 49 of 54 Photos: Photos: Thai soccer team rescued from cave Thai soldiers bring hoses and additional water pumps as the search for the team continued on June 27. Hide Caption 50 of 54 Photos: Photos: Thai soccer team rescued from cave Volunteer paramedics wait near the cave entrance on June 27. Hide Caption 51 of 54 Photos: Photos: Thai soccer team rescued from cave A rescuer looks for a cave entrance on June 27. Hide Caption 52 of 54 Photos: Photos: Thai soccer team rescued from cave Rescuers search the cave on June 26. Hide Caption 53 of 54 Photos: Photos: Thai soccer team rescued from cave Thai soldiers relay cable at the search site on June 26. Hide Caption 54 of 54 
   
   The Australians on the ground "remain closely engaged in efforts to support and sustain the group, as well as in planning. This includes supporting the Royal Thai Navy to transport food, water and first aid supplies into the cave system through to the group." 
   
   They are part of an international contingent that includes teams from the US military, the UK, and China. 
   
   The Thai people got moral support from one of the 33 Chilean rescued miners who were trapped for 69 days in 2010. 
   
   "To the people in Thailand, I want to send you a message from a long distance, and also a lot of strength to the authorities and all the families of these 12 children who are trapped underground," Mario Sepulveda said in a video message. 
   
   "I have no doubt that if we pray, I have no doubt that if the government in Thailand gives all it has and makes all possible human efforts, this rescue will be a success," he said. ||||| Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption The boys can be seen introducing themselves next to a diver in a wetsuit 
   
   A new video has been released of the 12 boys and their football coach trapped in a Thai cave, in which they say they are in good health. 
   
   Smiling and at times laughing, they introduce themselves one by one. 
   
   They were found on Monday after nine days trapped deep in the cave by rising water, and have since received food and medical treatment. 
   
   But their rescue may take months as they must either be taught to dive or wait for the water to recede. 
   
   The concern is that the rainy season has only just begun, so water levels in the Tham Luang cave will almost certainly continue to rise. 
   
   The video posted on the Thai Navy special forces Facebook page shows the team draped in foil blankets to keep them warm. 
   
   Image copyright AFP Image caption The boys all give their names, and a traditional Thai greeting 
   
   Lit by torches and with divers sitting alongside, they each give their name and the traditional "wai" greeting, putting their palms together. 
   
   Two other videos show the group having some light scratches treated by a military doctor. The boys are also again seen asking how soon food is coming. 
   
   Written on a rock in the cave can be seen the name of the football team and of the navy unit involved in the rescue. 
   
   Two Thai navy divers will be staying with the group underground from now on. 
   
   Could the group swim out? 
   
   "Now we are teaching the children to swim and dive," Thai Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan was quoted as saying by the Reuters news agency. 
   
   A report in The Guardian says the boys are being trained to breathe through scuba masks. 
   
   But a source inside the Thai navy diving team has told the BBC that taking the boys, few of whom can even swim, out through the narrow flooded passages is too risky. 
   
   He said the journey in to where they were, deep in the caves, had exhausted even experienced divers. So they were seriously considering keeping the boys there for the full four or five months of the rainy season, he added. 
   
   Some of the route involves squeezing through tight gaps underwater. In parts it is too narrow to wear an oxygen tank and the exits are not visible, so it would be easy for a child to panic. 
   
   However, other Thai officials say they may need to bring the boys out quickly if water levels rise. Weather forecasts for the area are being closely monitored for heavy rain which could trigger further flooding. 
   
   What are the trapped group having to endure? 
   
   Before they were found, they would have lived in total darkness once any torch batteries had expired. 
   
   However, the three basic conditions for survival were met: 
   
   The temperature in the cave is thought to be around 26C (79F) so hypothermia was not an issue 
   
   There was sufficient oxygen because air enters through porous limestone or cracks in the rocks. 
   
   They had drinkable water 
   
   Oxygen may yet become a problem should the water level rise and the air pocket they are in get smaller. 
   
   Unknown factors include the possibility of dangerous animals like snakes in the cave or of contamination from bat droppings. 
   
   What rescue efforts are being made? 
   
   Rescuers are trying to work out how best to bring them all to safety, with officials stressing they do not intend to take any risks with the boys' safety. 
   
   Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Families have been shown new footage of the 12 boys and their coach stuck in a cave in Thailand. 
   
   At a news conference, officials said no rescue attempt would be made on Wednesday but conditions were perfect for a rehearsal. 
   
   Water continues to be pumped out of the cave complex and officials have said they are confident they have been able to stop more water getting into the chamber the boys are in. 
   
   Emergency teams are also trying to install a phone line so the group can talk to their families but attempts to do so failed on Tuesday. 
   
   Outside the cave, medics are staging rehearsals in case the group can be brought out soon. 
   
   Other teams are still scouring the mountainside in the hope of finding another way into - and out of - the cave. 
   
   How did the group get trapped? 
   
   The boys, aged between 11 and 16, and their 25-year-old coach went missing on 23 June. It is believed they entered the cave in northern Chiang Rai province when it was dry and that sudden heavy rains blocked the exit. 
   
   It is thought they could at first move through parts of the cave in dry conditions but rushing waters clogged the narrow passages with mud and debris, blocking visibility and access. 
   
   How were they found? 
   
   They were finally reached by two British rescue divers late on Monday, nine days after they entered the caves. 
   
   They were huddled on a rock shelf about 4km (2.5 miles) from the mouth of the cave. 
   
   Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption The moment divers discover the missing boys 
   
   The video of that first contact was also posted on Facebook by Thai navy special forces. 
   
   The boys are seen by torchlight sitting on a ledge above water, responding to the divers that all 13 are there and they are very hungry. 
   
   Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Diver Ben Reymenants is assisting with the rescue mission and says none of the boys can swim ||||| Hundreds of pumps clearing water along 4km path in hope of avoiding need for scuba gear 
   
   Thai rescuers say 12 boys trapped deep inside a cave complex may be able to walk out, provided the route can be drained before the monsoon showers predicted for the weekend. 
   
   A military operation in the Tham Luang Nang Non cave complex is employing hundreds of industrial pumps to drain the water along the 2.5-mile (4km) path from the entrance to the area where the children and their football coach have been sheltering for 12 days. 
   
   Poonsak Woongsatngiem, a rescue official with Thailand’s interior ministry, told the Guardian the water had been reduced by 40% in the past few days, clearing a 1.5km stretch of dark, jagged and muddy cave channels that the boys would need to traverse. 
   
   The focus of Thursday’s operations is a third major basin along the route, Woongsatngiem said. The boys, who are not strong swimmers, are being trained in how to dive using scuba equipment. But forcing them to exit through the water is considered very risky. 
   
   Facebook Twitter Pinterest Soldiers and rescue workers walk past water pumped out of the cave complex. Photograph: Soe Zeya Tun/Reuters 
   
   “We [are] target[ing] the water in the third chamber to reduce to the point that no diving equipment is needed, like to the waistline, so one can wear just life jackets and walk out,” Woongsatngiem said on Thursday. 
   
   Clearing the third basin would leave another 2.5km of path to the boys, whose ages range from 11 to 16. A Chinese diver at the site, Wang Ying Jie, said about half that remaining path would be walkable in the right conditions; the maximum water depth they would need to cross is about six metres. 
   
   It is unclear how long the remaining area would take to drain, but monsoon rains are predicted for Saturday and would quickly refill the cave complex, potentially cutting the boys off for months. 
   
   Rain was the biggest worry, said Narongsak Osatanakorn, the governor of Chiang Rai province, who is coordinating the rescue efforts. “We were racing against time before we found them,” he said. “Now we’re racing against water. It keeps seeping through the cave.” 
   
   A fibre-optic cable was being laid inside the cave and would reach the boys soon, he added, so the children would be able to speak to and possibly see their parents on video. 
   
   
   
   Wang said most of the boys remained in good health but three had intestinal issues and were in some pain. Divers were positioned at the third basin waiting to ferry medicine to the children. 
   
   With wet weather looming, authorities are also calculating how long they are willing to allow rescuers to remain in the cave before they order an evacuation. 
   
   Updates on the condition of the boys and the water levels were being slowed by the length of the journey to reach the children. “It’s about 11 hours – six on the way from the entrance to where the kids are and five on the way back,” he said. 
   
   Play Video 1:00 Chilean miner has message of hope for trapped Thai boys – video 
   
   He said the boys and their 25-year-old coach had started practising diving but did not confirm whether they would try to bring any out on Thursday. Those considered strong enough to go could do so first, he said. “They don’t need to be brought out as a team,” Osatanakorn said. “Whosoever is ready can come out first.” 
   
   
   
   Thailand cave rescue: where were the boys found and how can they be rescued? Read more 
   
   Officials were also scouring the jungle above the complex to find new openings that could be drilled to extract the boys more easily. The children were breathing, he said, so there was very likely a shaft somewhere to the top. 
   
   “We have around 20 to 30 teams surveying on top to find the closest and most precise spot,” he said. 
   
   One Thai navy Seal member who spent time with the boys said they “were always asking about the World Cup. I told them that all the big teams had gone home.” 
   
   Additional reporting by Veena Thoopkrajae in Mae Sai and the Associated Press ||||| Image: AP 
   
   As 12 boys and their soccer coach wait to be rescued from a submerged cave in northern Thailand, officials may be forced into action due to expected heavy rains in the coming days. The situation is grave, given a medical assessment claiming the boys and coach are too weak to attempt such a physically demanding escape. 
   
   
   
   It’s monsoon season in Thailand, but cave rescuers have been blessed with a brief dry spell, making the next 24 hours all the more critical. The rains are expected to start on Friday, turning into a deluge by Sunday. Earlier today, the Chiang Rai provincial governor said the mission is now in a “race against the water,” AFP reports. 
   
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   “Our biggest concern is the weather,” he told reporters. “We are calculating how much time we have if it rains, how many hours and days.” 
   
   Water levels have dropped appreciably over the last several days, thanks to the weather and the herculean efforts of rescue officials, who have managed to pump out 34 million gallons (128 million liters) of water from the submerged cave complex. Water levels are currently falling at a rate of 1.5 cm (0.6 inches) per hour, and rescuers can now walk through a 0.9 mile (1.5 km) stretch from the entrance to an area known as the Third Chamber, the BBC reports. 
   
   Image: AP 
   
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   Twelve members of the youth soccer team, ranging in age from 11 to 16, and their 25-year-old coach, ventured deep into the Tham Luang Nang Non cave system on June 23, but heavy rains flooded the caves, trapping them inside. The “Wild Boar” team was discovered by expert divers nine days after they went missing, and they’re currently huddled on a steep, muddy rock some 2.5 miles (4 km) from the mouth of the cave. Medical teams are now attending to the boys, handing out food, medicine, and foil blankets, along with providing emotional care. 
   
   
   
   Ideally, enough water could be pumped out from the cave such that the boys could wade through or swim out (or at least be “floated”) from the cave complex. Reducing water levels in the cave could also minimize the amount of time the boys would have to spend underwater. Most of the boys don’t know how to swim, and they have no experience with scuba diving. But given the grim weather forecast, and concerns that the space where boys are located could become inundated with water, rescuers may be forced into action. 
   
   Image: AP 
   
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   This added urgency is unfortunate. Some members of the Thai Navy SEALS, who spoke to the media without authorization, said the plan is far too risky, CNN reports. Expert divers require around six hours to reach the boys, and around five hours to get back to the entrance. There are several air pockets along the route, but there’s virtually no visibility, the water is rushing in some places, and some regions are so narrow that scuba gear has to be removed from the divers’ backs so they can squeeze through. At the same time, an updated doctor’s report claims the boys are suffering from exhaustion and malnutrition, and that they’re in no shape for such an arduous escape attempt, according to CNN. 
   
   
   
   Thirteen sets of diving equipment have already been assembled should it come to that, and the boys are already being taught the rudiments of scuba diving. In addition to a helmet, wetsuit, and boots, the boys would be equipped with a full-face mask fitted specially for children. Should the boys and coach have to be evacuated in a hurry, they’d be guided through the water along a static line that’s already been installed. The boys would be led to safety by a team of expert divers who would be positioned at strategic points along the route. 
   
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   As officials weigh their options, other plans have been set into motion. Oxygen is now being pumped into the air pocket where the boys are huddled, and a communication line is being built to connect the team to the outside world—including to their parents. Outside of the cave, hundreds of workers, many of whom are volunteers, have assembled to help, handing out water bottles in the summer heat, preparing food, and doing whatever they can to help. 
   
   
   
   Image: AP 
   
   Plans to drill into the rock to create new shafts have been abandoned. Instead, around 20 to 30 teams are currently scouring the mountainside in search of alternative natural entrances, called chimneys, into the cave complex. They’ve also enlisted bird-watchers, who may be able to spot birds entering or exiting hidden holes, according to AFP. 
   
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   The Tham Luang Nang Non cave system is normally flooded during this time of year, and it doesn’t fully drain until September or October. One extreme possibility is that the boys and their coach will have to wait it out until then. But this presents a slew of new considerations, such as the psychological well-being of the children, issues of hygiene, and the ongoing threat of further flooding. 
   
   All eyes will be on northern Thailand over the next day or two as the heavy rains approach. The time for a tough decision is looming. 
   
   [CNN, BBC, AFP]
target: – Reports on the 12 boys trapped in a cave in Thailand along with their soccer coach have generally quoted officials as describing the group as in good health. CNN is changing that narrative somewhat, referencing a new doctor's report that described the coach and two boys as experiencing exhaustion from malnutrition and quoting an unnamed Thai Navy SEALs member who says that based on the group's health, no extraction effort will be made on Thursday. And the timeline may be tight, with CNN reporting the area is expected to be dry until Saturday, at which point the chance of rain—and rising cave waters—spikes. It notes that the current round-trip time for the divers who have reached the boys is 11 hours. But the Guardian reports hundreds of industrial pumps continue to suck water from the cave system in hopes of draining the levels to the point where the group can don life vests and cover the 2.5-mile distance out largely on foot. A rescue official says they're currently focusing on draining the third chamber to waist height; of the remaining chambers, which measure about 1.5 miles, a diver at the scene speculates about half would be walkable, with the water reaching a maximum depth of about 20 feet. Gizmodo reports the "herculean efforts" at the site have seen 34 million gallons of water pumped out, at a current rate of about 0.6 inches per hour.