By Associated Press

Published: 10:47 BST, 30 June 2018 | Updated: 11:38 BST, 30 June 2018

MAE SAI, Thailand (AP) – The effort to locate 12 boys and their soccer coach missing in a cave in Thailand for a week has picked up pace, with a break in the rain easing flooding in the system of caverns and more experts from around the world joining the mission.

The search effort in the northern province of Chiang Rai has been going slowly, largely because flooding has blocked rescuers from going through chambers to get deeper into the cave.

Pumping out water hasn’t solved the problem, so increasing effort has been made to find shafts on the outside of the cave that might serve as a back door to the blocked-off areas where the missing may be sheltering.

Rescuers work at the entrance to a cave complex where 12 soccer team members and their coach went missing, in Mae Sai, Chiang Rai province, in northern Thailand Saturday, June 30, 2018. Rescuers have been searching for them. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

Rescuers work at the entrance to a cave complex where 12 soccer team members and their coach went missing, in Mae Sai, Chiang Rai province, in northern Thailand Saturday, June 30, 2018. Rescuers have been searching for them. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

Australian police and military personnel were deployed Saturday to join other multinational teams of experts.

Rescuers talk each other during a search operation at the entrance to a cave complex where 12 soccer team members and their coach went missing, in Mae Sai, Chiang Rai province, in northern Thailand Saturday, June 30, 2018. Rescuers have been searching for them. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

Rescuers talk each other during a search operation at the entrance to a cave complex where 12 soccer team members and their coach went missing, in Mae Sai, Chiang Rai province, in northern Thailand Saturday, June 30, 2018. Rescuers have been searching for them. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

Rescuers talk each other during a search operation at the entrance to a cave complex where 12 soccer team members and their coach went missing, in Mae Sai, Chiang Rai province, in northern Thailand Saturday, June 30, 2018. Rescuers have been searching for them. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

A rescuer works at the entrance to a cave complex where 12 soccer team members and their coach went missing, in Mae Sai, Chiang Rai province, in northern Thailand Saturday, June 30, 2018. Rescuers have been searching for them. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

A rescuer works at the entrance to a cave complex where 12 soccer team members and their coach went missing, in Mae Sai, Chiang Rai province, in northern Thailand Saturday, June 30, 2018. Rescuers have been searching for them. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

A rescuer works at the entrance to a cave complex where 12 soccer team members and their coach went missing, in Mae Sai, Chiang Rai province, in northern Thailand Saturday, June 30, 2018. Rescuers have been searching for them. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

Rescuers work at the entrance to a cave complex where 12 soccer team members and their coach went missing, in Mae Sai, Chiang Rai province, in northern Thailand Saturday, June 30, 2018. Rescuers have been searching for them. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

Rescuers work at the entrance to a cave complex where 12 soccer team members and their coach went missing, in Mae Sai, Chiang Rai province, in northern Thailand Saturday, June 30, 2018. Rescuers have been searching for them. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

Rescuers work at the entrance to a cave complex where 12 soccer team members and their coach went missing, in Mae Sai, Chiang Rai province, in northern Thailand Saturday, June 30, 2018. Rescuers have been searching for them. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

Thai soldiers hold an evacuation drill near the Tham Luang Nang Non cave in Mae Sai, Chiang Rai province, in northern Thailand Saturday, June 30, 2018. Rescuers have been searching for 12 boys and their soccer coach missing for seven days in the flooded cave complex. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

Thai soldiers hold an evacuation drill near the Tham Luang Nang Non cave in Mae Sai, Chiang Rai province, in northern Thailand Saturday, June 30, 2018. Rescuers have been searching for 12 boys and their soccer coach missing for seven days in the flooded cave complex. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

Thai soldiers hold an evacuation drill near the Tham Luang Nang Non cave in Mae Sai, Chiang Rai province, in northern Thailand Saturday, June 30, 2018. Rescuers have been searching for 12 boys and their soccer coach missing for seven days in the flooded cave complex. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

Thai soldiers hold an evacuation drill near the Tham Luang Nang Non cave in Mae Sai, Chiang Rai province, in northern Thailand Saturday, June 30, 2018. Rescuers have been searching for 12 boys and their soccer coach missing for seven days in the flooded cave complex. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

Thai soldiers hold an evacuation drill near the Tham Luang Nang Non cave in Mae Sai, Chiang Rai province, in northern Thailand Saturday, June 30, 2018. Rescuers have been searching for 12 boys and their soccer coach missing for seven days in the flooded cave complex. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

Thai soldiers hold an evacuation drill near the Tham Luang Nang Non cave in Mae Sai, Chiang Rai province, in northern Thailand Saturday, June 30, 2018. Rescuers have been searching for 12 boys and their soccer coach missing for seven days in the flooded cave complex. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

Advertisement

:

Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.



Read more at DailyMail.co.uk