Thai cave rescue, live updates: 7 boys rescued by divers, operations continue

The final rescue mission to extract 12 schoolboys and their soccer team coach, who have been trapped in a cave for days, began on Sunday. Confirming the same, authorities said that the survivor was expected to emerge out of the Tham Luang cave after at least 11 hours. According to reports, mediapersons camping outside the cave have been asked to vacate the area. They have reportedly been moved to a nearby government office.

Here are the live updates:

# Second day of the rescue operation ends with one more boy being exiting the cave, adding a total number of rescued to eight.

# Two more people have been rescued from the cave, apparently taking the total number rescued to seven.  

# Rescue operations began on Monday and a fifth boy has been rescued. A Reuters witness near the Tham Luang cave in the northern province of Chiang Rai saw medical personnel carrying a person, wrapped in green sheets and lying flat, into an ambulance close to the mouth of the cave. 

# Reuters correction: Four, not six boys, have been rescued on Sunday.

# Thai officials confirm that the rescue operation comes to halt for the day. The next phase of the operation will start after 10-20 hours. 

# Donald Trump tweets about Thai cave rescue operations saying that his government is working closely with the Thailand Government to help get the children out of the cave and to safety. 

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The U.S. is working very closely with the Government of Thailand to help get all of the children out of the cave and to safety. Very brave and talented people! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 8, 2018

# As confirmed by Reuters, four more boys have exited the cave. 

# Two of the 12 boys have been rescued by the elite divers. Reports quote authorities as saying that bringing all the boys and their coach to safety may take days.

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# Thailand government releases graphic about the rescue programme:

Thai government releases graphic about #thamluangcaverescue . Full face masks; 2 divers accompanying 1 boy; guided by rope. When facing a very narrow path, they will release the tank from back and slowly roll tank & guide the boy through. They walk from Chamber 3 to mouth of cave pic.twitter.com/pLUKa8lHfd — Nick Beake (@Beaking_News) July 8, 2018

# According to BBC, a Thai version of Elon Musk's idea of air filled tube being tested near the cave to help in the rescue operation.

Not Space-X. But a Thai version of ⁦@elonmusk⁩ idea of an air-filled tube for trapped boys to get out, being tested near #Thamluangcave pic.twitter.com/udsKAdHLgY — Jonathan Head (@pakhead) July 8, 2018

# The Associated Press quotes official as saying that the rescue is likely to continue for two to three days.

# As many as 18 divers have gone inside the cave to conduct the final rescue mission.

# According to The Guardian, the kids will be taken to a hospital which is 57 km away from the cave. The traffic to the hospital has been stopped.

# A mammoth response operation – including a medical unit, ambulance and helicopter for every boy – is waiting outside the cave for the team to emerge, said Reuters.

# Thirteen foreign divers and five members of Thailand`s elite navy SEAL unit have united for the rescue mission.

# Military personnel from Australia are also part of the rescue mission. According to reports, at least 13 divers are international experts.

# Ambulances have been stationed outside the cave as the rescue mission started on Sunday morning.