Thai cave boys will NOT be coming out tonight: Rescuers plan to build the strength of trapped football players but will try to rush them out if deadly monsoon starts to flood tunnels

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The trapped Thai football team will not escape tonight, but authorities are likely to launch a rescue attempt in coming days if monsoonal rain begins catastrophically flooding the caves.

Chiang Rai Governor Narongsak Osottanakorn said the boys were learning to dive but were not strong enough to undertake to long journey through narrow, underwater passages.

Navigating the cave system takes an experienced diver more than five hours and the boys were not back at full strength after suffering exhaustion and starvation before rescuers found them.

The trapped Thai football team will not escape tonight, but authorities are likely to launch a rescue attempt in coming days if monsoonal rain begins catastrophically flooding the caves. 

Chiang Rai Governor Narongsak Osottanakorn said the boys were learning to dive but were not strong enough to undertake to long journey through narrow, underwater passages

Speaking outside the Tham Luang caves in northern Thailand, the governor ruled out a rescue attempt overnight on Friday but indicated the situation could change in days to come.

'There is no chance the boys will come out today. it is not suitable. they still cannot dive,' he said at a long-awaited press conference after midnight on Saturday local time.

'The children are learning how to dive. We'd like minimum risk, but we can't wait until it rains heavily and worsens the situation.

'If that happens, we'll need to reassess. The key thing is the kids' readiness to dive. If it rains, and the situation is not good, we will try to bring the boys out.'

Officials have long feared the coming torrential rain would catastrophically flood the cave system in Chiang Rai and make rescue impossible.

Should the rains further flood the cave, as predicted, the team could be trapped in the cave for more than four months until waters recede.

Navigating the cave system takes an experienced diver more than five hours and the boys were not back at full strength after suffering exhaustion and starvation before rescuers found them.

Speaking outside the Tham Luang caves in northern Thailand, the governor ruled out a rescue attempt overnight on Friday but indicated the situation could change in days to come

A huge operation is underway at the Tham Luang Nang Non cave complex, where dozens of Thai Navy SEALs and international experts are attempting to find a way to get the boys out

However, Governor Narongsak appeared unwilling to let the 12 boys and their coach be stuck for that long, as he laughed when asked if they would be left inside.

He said rescuers 'need to make the plan that is the best plan' and were assessing options, they will then test the plan to make sure it will work with a low enough risk. 

'If the risk is minimal, we will try. We are afraid of the weather and the oxygen in the cave. We have to try to set the plan and find which plan is the best,' he said.

But he appeared to rule out tunneling through the rock to reach them in favour of the boys swimming out in dive gear or being pushed through the tunnel by divers.

'The boys entered through the front of the cave, they will come out through the front,' he said.

Governor Narongsak said the boys were still healthy and have practised wearing diving masks and breathing in preparation for the diving possibility. 

'There is no chance the boys will come out today. it is not suitable. they still cannot dive,' he said at a long-awaited press conference after midnight on Saturday local time.

Governor Narongsak appeared unwilling to let the 12 boys and their coach be stuck for four months if the monsoon further flooded the caves, as he laughed when asked if they would be left inside

 He said rescuers 'need to make the plan that is the best plan' and were assessing options, they wil then test the plan to make sure it will work with a low enough risk.

A group of volunteers prepare to leave in search of alternative entry points to the Tham Luang cave area as rescue operation continues for the 12 boys and their football team coach trapped in the cave

When asked if he felt positively about the situation, he replied: 'The world is perfect'.

'I'm worried about everyone who participates in the rescue operation,' he added. 

He said the boys were checked on by divers about 9pm local times, three hours before the press conference, and were found to be in good health. 

Governor Narongsak added that he was the one who invited Elon Musk to send engineers from his SpaceX and Boring Company firms to help with the rescue because he knows a SpaceX employee.

Mr Musk earlier suggested bringing the boys out through a nylon tube inflated 'like a bouncy castle' to create an underwater tunnel. 

Former Thai Navy SEAL Saman Kunan died after running out of oxygen in the cramped, waterlogged passageways of the Tham Luang caves in northern Thailand 

Footage has emerged of Kunan preparing to fly out to join the rescue mission and revealing how he hoped to ' bring the kids home'

Earlier the body of a diver who died while taking supplies to a trapped Thai football team was repatriated with honours.

Former Thai Navy SEAL Saman Kunan died after running out of oxygen in the cramped, waterlogged passageways of the Tham Luang caves in northern Thailand. 

The 38-year-old was trying to reach a cavern set up as a command centre 1.2miles inside the caves and had been leaving oxygen tanks around the network as part of preparations for rescuing the 12 young footballers. But he ran out of air at 2am local time and his diving partner was unable to revive him.

His body will be flown to his hometown in Roi Et for a royally-sponsored funeral, the Thai king announced. Pictures today showed military officials transporting his flag-draped coffin. 

It comes as footage emerged of Kunan at an airport preparing to fly out to join the rescue mission and revealing how he hoped to 'bring the kids home.' 

'See you tonight at Tham Luang. We will bring the kids home,' said an upbeat Saman, wearing a grey polo shirt and blue, tinted glasses, before signing off on the video clip and setting off for the province of Chiang Rai on the Myanmar border. 

Officials have warned that the window of opportunity to free the youngsters is now 'limited' amid fears of heavy rainfall.

The body of a diver who died while taking supplies to a trapped Thai soccer team has been repatriated with honours. A Thai Buddhist monk leads military honour guards today as they carry a flag-draped coffin containing the remains of Saman Kunan

Saman Kunan, who died in the ongoing Tham Luang cave rescue operations. Guards are pictured during a repatriation ceremony today

Thai soldiers and police officers pay their respects as a Thai Navy plane carrying the body of Saman Kunan takes off at Chiang Rai International Airport today

'At first, we thought the children could stay for a long time... but now things have changed, we have a limited time,' said Arpakorn Yookongkaew, commander of Thai navy SEALs working at the site. 

A senior army commander, Major General Chalongchai Chaiyakam, said that the most pressing mission now is to provide an oxygen line to reach the kids. 

Yookongkaew said that Kunan was working in a volunteer capacity to help the 12 boys and their 25-year-old coach.

Kunan's final Facebook post was a picture of him proudly posing with his comrades at the mouth of the Than Luang cave.  

A huge operation is underway at the Tham Luang Nang Non cave complex, where dozens of Thai Navy SEALs and international experts are attempting to find a way to get the boys out. 

Former Thai Navy SEAL Samarn Kunan, 38, (pictured) has died while trying to help rescue the young football team trapped in a cave in Thailand 

Rescuers have been examining ways to rescue the boys, including fitting them with full-face oxygen masks and accompanying them on a long, dangerous swim through the tunnels.

However, the death of an experienced diver in the cave system underlines the inherent risks in attempting to move the boys, who are physically weak after days without food.

They are the equivalent of the length of two Empire State buildings underground - more than 800m.

Yookongkaew today insisted morale remained high among rescuers despite Kunan's death. 

'These accidents can happen sometimes to anyone in the field, but we will go ahead and keep working,' Yookongkaew told The Guardian.  

He added: 'We won't let his life be in vain. We will carry on.'

The SEAL unit said in a statement that Kunan's diving partner had found him unconscious in the water and tried to revive him but could not save his life.

They paid tribute to their former colleague, describing him as a 'skilled and talented Seal and a triathlon athlete'.

Their statement added: 'Even after he departed the Seal unit, he still kept in touch and maintained a tie with the rest of his former colleagues. 

'He always participated in the Seal activities until the last step of his life. Saman left us while working as a diver and in a time where all divers joining forces to complete the mission. His effort and determination will always remain the hearts of all divers.

'May you rest in peace and we will accomplish this mission as you had wished.'

On his Instagram account, Kunan appeared to be an avid cyclist, posting several pictures of himself mountain biking.

In a post on Wednesday, Samarn uploaded pictures of himself in action with a rescue team, both outside and inside the Tham Luang cave.

A spokesman for the navy, Rear Admiral Chetta Jaipiem, said the navy would seek 'special permission' to posthumously promote Samarn, who was a petty officer first class when he left the unit.

Kunan's final Facebook post was a picture of him proudly posing with his comrades at the mouth of the Than Luang cave

Kunan died due to a lack of oxygen in the tunnel.  He was trying to reach a cavern set up as a command centre 1.2miles inside the cave system when he ran out of air at 2am local time

The mother of one of the trapped Thai boys breaks down as authorities announce the death of a former Thai Navy Seal diver during the ongoing rescue operation

U.S. Ambassador to Thailand Glyn T. Davies offered his condolences to Samarn's family.

'On behalf of the American people, I extend my deepest condolences to his family and commend his true bravery and selflessness in service to his country,' Davies said in a statement.

Meanwhile, billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk tweeted on Friday that engineers from his firms - SpaceX and The Boring Company - were heading to Thailand to see if they could assist the rescue.

The firms have 'advance ground penetrating radar' that is 'pretty good at digging holes' or technology that could 'create an air tunnel underwater' for the children to traverse, Musk said earlier.

The Thai government said Musk's team could help the rescue operation with location tracking, water pumping or battery power.

'We cannot live normally': Family's heart-ache as they keep 24-hour vigil at cave entrance

The family of one of the young footballers stranded in the flooded cavern in Thailand have told of her heart-ache as they anxiously wait for his rescue.

The parents of 14-year-old Prajak Sutham have kept a 24-hour vigil at the entrance of the Thamg Luang cave since their beloved son became trapped almost two weeks ago.

Now his grandmother has revealed how the family are struggling to cope with the stress of his disappearance – but remain hopeful that he will be brought out alive.

Matriarch Kiangkham Janthapoon has revealed how she wanted to die when her first grandchild, known as Note, went missing but how her faith in his survival was restored when he was discovered by British pot-holers earlier this week.

Speaking exclusively to MailOnline the 66-year-old grandmother said: 'On the second day after Note went missing I just wanted to die. He is my first grandchild and I am so worried about him.

The family of Prajak Sutham, one of the young footballers stranded in the flooded cavern in Thailand, have told of her heart-ache as they anxiously wait for his rescue. His mother Ratdao Chantapoon is pictured

Prajak Sutham is pictured at the age of 11, graduating from school. He is one of 12 footballers still trapped inside a flooded cave in the Tham Luang Forest Park

'I cannot sleep and I have hardly eaten since he went missing with the other boys. He is such a good boy. He is trust worthy and he works hard at school. The whole family is distraught.'

Fighting back tears 66-year-old Kiangkham added: 'But we were so happy when the British divers found him them alive in the cave. Now we just want them to get out as quickly and safely as possible.'

Note's mother Ratdao Janthapoon, and father Sudsakhon Sutham rushed to the remote jungle entrance to the cave the morning after he failed to return from the football club excursion.

The parents of 14-year-old Prajak Sutham (pictured) have kept a 24-hour vigil at the entrance of the Thamg Luang cave since their beloved son became trapped almost two weeks ago

The pair have maintained a 24-hour vigil there, desperately waiting for news of their beloved son. Yesterday mum Ratdao, 35, led prayers for the missing boys at a shrine close to the tunnel.

In a moving ceremony mothers of the missing footballers lit incense sticks and made offerings of rice in front of a statue of Buddha and called upon the deity to make the flood waters recede and their sons be brought home safely.

Sarisa Promjak, Note's aunt, explained: 'My sister has been up the cave since the day after Note went missing and she has been there ever since.

'She and her husband spend day and night there. They have only left to come home to have a quick shower and then go back again. Her husband, Note's dad, says he cannot eat. They say they will not leave until their boy is safe.'

A quiet but sport-loving boy Note's medals are on display in the courtyard of the family's modest home in a village outside Mae Sai.

He loved playing for the Wild Boar football team and wants to play for the provincial team when he is older. Pictures of Note graduating from Kindergarten and primary school are displayed in pride of place.

The 24-hour news channel has been on since the youngsters disappeared as the family desperately cling to hope of Note's safe return.

Aunt Sarisa, 50, explained: 'Note has a little sister called Now, she is only two, but she keeps asking where he is.

'She knows that he is in the cave and whenever his face comes on to the TV she reaches up to him. Now misses him.'

News of the disaster first reached Note's family from other anxious parents. They hoped the boys had been trapped by a flash-flood.

But when the waters failed to recede from the cave they began to worry.

Aunt Sarisa explained: 'We thought the boys had been caught in a flash flood and that they would be able to walk out the next day. But the days have turned into weeks and we are distraught with worry.

'His grandmother Kiangkham is 66 and has hyper tension, his grandfather Jai Janthapoon is 69 and is not in good health. We are all so worried and sad.

Note's mother Ratdao Janthapoon, and father Sudsakhon Sutham rushed to the remote jungle entrance to the cave the morning after he failed to return from the football club excursion. Prajak Sutham is pictured as a two-year-old with his parents

Prajak's  aunt Sarisa Promjak, 50, grandfather Jai Janthapoon, 69 and grandmother Kiangkham Janthapoon, 66 are pictured at the family home in Mai Sae, Thailand

Ratdao Chantapoon (far left), the mother of Prajak Sutham, prays with other mothers during a vigil in the Tham Luang Forest Park in Chiang Rai Province

Prajak Sutham is pictured at the age of 11, (back row, fifth from the right). His family are anxiously waiting news about the rescue operation

'When we sit down for a meal we think that the boys have nothing to eat, when we go to bed we think about the boys having to spend another night in the cave, when we hear the rain we worry that the cave will get more flooded. We cannot live normally.

'My sister phoned today and told us she was worried about the changing weather conditions. Because if it rains at the weekend it will make the rescue effort more difficult.

'The only thing that has made us feel better was when the boys were found alive by the British divers. We really want to thank the British divers for finding the boys.

'We want to thank all of the rescue workers for everything they are doing to get them out of the cave. And we want to thank everyone from around the world for all their prayers and support.

'We feel so bad for the Navy Seal who lost his life trying to save them. We are so grateful for his sacrifice.

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Relatives of the boys, some of whom have camped at the site for weeks, say all they want is the safest exit for their children.

'I'm worried...he has never dived,' said Somboon Kaewwongwan, the father of a 16-year-old boy trapped in the cave.  

It takes even the most experienced divers up to five hours to swim through jagged, narrow channels from where the boys are to safety outside.

Speaking to CNN on Wednesday, Cade Courtley, a former US Navy SEAL said bringing the children out through the flooded tunnels could be treacherous.

He says that even divers with considerable expertise have been 'climbing up, climbing through, going (through water with) zero visibility to finally get through the team. Now you're going to ask 11 to (16) year olds - some of whom cannot swim - to make that same journey for the first time breathing air underwater? I think that's a terrible mistake given some of the options we have.' 

Governor Narongsak has revealed that the three of the stranded children are also 'quite weak, weaker than the other boys'.   

Kunan was working in a volunteer capacity for the rescue mission. He is pictured here with fellow members of his team at the cave 

Kunan also posted this photo of his team planning the mission before going into the cave

Kunan proudly posted a number of photos that showed him with the Navy SEAL team

The level of oxygen in the cave has also become a cause for concern, with authorities revealing levels have dropped to 15 per cent. The usual level is 21 per cent. 

Narongsak Osatanakorn, the governor of Chiang Rai province, said that oxygen has been depleting inside the cave due to the presence of hundreds of rescue workers. 

Holes are being drilled in the jungle above the cave to try and increase air supply and about 30 oxygen tanks have also been released in their area. 

Authorities are also laying an air pipe from the entrance into the cave but said on Friday that another 1.7km of piping is needed. 

Elon Musk sends engineers from his Boring Company to help Thai cave rescue mission - and proposes creating underwater air tube for the children to crawl through 

 Tech billionaire Elon Musk has sent his top engineers to help rescue 12 schoolboys and their football coach trapped in a flooded Thai cave.

On Twitter Musk suggested an underwater air tube could be created for the children to crawl through.

The 46-year-old said his Boring Co, which digs tunnels for advanced transport systems, plan to insert a nylon tube into the cave before inflating it 'like a bouncy castle' to create an underwater tunnel.

Elon Musk has sent his top engineers to help rescue schoolboys trapped in a Thai cave

He made the announcement on Twitter after brainstorming different ways to evacuate the kids

Musk said a nylon tube could be inflated  'like a bouncy castle' to create an underwater tunnel

He said engineers from his Boring Co and SpaceX companies needed to be on site to oversee the evacuation. 

A spokesman for The Boring Company, said: 'We are speaking with the Thai government to see how we can help, and we are sending SpaceX/Boring Company people from the US to Thailand today to offer support on the ground.

'Once we confirm what exactly will be helpful to send or do, we will. 

'We are getting feedback and guidance from the people on the ground in Chiang Rai to determine the best way for us to assist their efforts.' 

The tech billionaire initially responded to a tweet pleading him to help with the rescue mission

At first he explored the idea of using an 'advanced ground penetrating radar' to help rescuers

He claimed that it could supply 'fully charged Powerpacks and pumps' to aid the mission

Mr Musk initially brainstormed the idea of using an 'advanced ground penetrating radar' to help rescuers.

He claimed that it could supply 'fully charged Powerpacks and pumps' to aid the mission.

Musk then came up with the idea of inserting a nylon tube into the cave network to create an air tunnel underwater. 

None of the 12 boys can swim or dive, which rescuers said is essential in freeing them.  

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'The top priority today is to fill the air inside [where the boys are]' said deputy army commander Chalongchai Chaiyakham.   

'We've got to finish laying the air pipe today...With the air filled, the kids could stay for months.' 

The rescue mission's chief engineer is also looking into the possibility of rescuing the boys by drilling a hole where they are located. 

Rescuers initially believed that drilling was too dangerous due to the fact the boys and their coach are trapped in a small space.  

The official who is leading the rescue operation met with the boys' families last night.  

He maintained that the preferred rescue option was to escort the youngsters out with scuba divers with navy chaperones. 

It has not been decided whether the stronger or the weaker boys would be evacuated first, but the boys will come out one at a time. 

The governor would not confirm when the evacuation would begin but maintained the boys would only be brought out when the rescuers were 100 per cent sure they would be safe.

Officials have long feared the coming torrential rain would catastrophically flood the cave system in Chiang Rai and make rescue impossible

Football stars send messages of support to trapped boys as FIFA invites them to the World Cup final

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has invited the Thai boys' football team trapped in a cave to the World Cup final, as messages of support poured in from top players.

Infantino said he hoped the Wild Boars team, who were stranded by rising floodwaters two weeks ago, would be rescued in time to watch the final in Moscow on July 15.

'If, as we all hope, they are reunited with their families in the coming days and their health allows them to travel, FIFA would be delighted to invite them to attend the 2018 World Cup final as our guests,' he wrote in a letter to the head of the Football Association of Thailand.

'I sincerely hope that they will be able to join us at the final, which will undoubtedly be a wonderful moment of communion and celebration.'

The Thai footballers, aged 11-16, have been stuck in darkness deep underground after setting off to explore the cave with their 25-year-old coach after training on June 23.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has wished the Thai cave boys his support while they are stuck in the cave

The players remain trapped despite being reached this week by cave-diving rescuers, who released footage of them looking emaciated but calm, some wearing football shirts.

Their harrowing ordeal coincides with the World Cup in Russia and it has not escaped the attention of players.

'I've been speaking about it with a few of the boys,' said England defender John Stones, according to British media.

'It's so sad to see where they are and we hope they get out safe and sound.'

Japan's World Cup squad tweeted a video urging the team to 'Hang in there!', while Brazil legend Ronaldo called their plight 'terrible'.

'The world of football hopes that someone can find a way to take these kids out of there,' he said, according to CNN.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp urged them to 'stay strong and know we are with you', in a video message sent to CNN.

'We are following all the news and hoping every second that you see daylight again,' Klopp said. 'We are all very optimistic that it will happen, hopefully in minutes, hours or the next few days.'

Meanwhile the Croatian Football Federation said it was 'awed' by the team's calm under pressure.

'We are awed by the bravery and strength that these young boys and their coach have shown amidst such frightening circumstances,' it said on its website.

Many fans on social media said the boys deserved the World Cup trophy for the way they have handled their ordeal.

Afp

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Meanwhile, fears are growing that time is running out to rescue the boys and their coach.

Officials have long feared the coming torrential rain would catastrophically flood the cave system in Chiang Rai and make rescue impossible.

Should the rains further flood the cave, as predicted, the team could be trapped in the cave for more than four months until waters recede.  

Provincial Governor Narongsak Osotthanakorn said the mission was 'a race against the water' that will flow in with the monsoon.

'Our biggest concern is the weather. We are calculating how much time we have if it rains, how many hours and days,' he said. 

Nineteen massive pumps are trying to lower the water levels - but this has been hampered after unregistered volunteers started pumping water back into the caves in the belief they were helping.

The boys aged 11 to 16 and the coach have practised wearing diving masks and Thai Navy Seals were told to prepare for a sudden evacuation.

However, the teams were still too weak to attempt to leave their flooded cave with two boys and the coach suffering from exhaustion. 

Water was accidentally pumped back into caves by volunteers amid desperate attempts to lower flooding levels in the sprawling underground network, it has emerged

A medical assessment found it was still too dangerous to try to move the youngsters, an unnamed source in the Thai Navy Seals told CNN.

Two boys and the 25-year-old coach are suffering with exhaustion through malnutrition, according to a new doctor's report.  

A team of bird's nest collectors from southern Thailand arrived to put their generations-old rock climbing skills to use to help with the rescue mission.

The eight men are Thai Muslims from Libong island in Trang province, where they climb limestone cliffs to collect the edible nests, a delicacy made from solidified bird spit that can go for hundreds of pounds per kilo.

'One member in our team was watching (the rescue mission) on television and thought 'how can we help them?',' team leader Abdulrawheep Khunraksa said.

'We thought that we might have the expertise to help since we have climbed to collect bird's nests for generations,' the 49-year-old added.

Armed with ropes, gloves and their knowledge, the team set off up the steep slope in the hopes of finding an alternative route to reach the boys inside the Tham Laung cave.

News of the 600ft move into the mountain comes as authorities warned rescuers were in a 'race against water' to evacuate the boys before expected heavy rainfall 

The 12 youngsters and their coach had to abandon the 'Pattaya Beach' area of the caves in Chiang Rai on Monday night and are now perched on a bumpy ledge known as 'Women's Boobs' where they were found, officials have revealed 

Trapped boy pictured in England shirt with his team mates was desperate for the Three Lions to win the World Cup and 'loves' captain Harry Kane, uncle reveals

One of the young footballers trapped underground in Thailand supports England and would 'love' the Three Lions to win the World Cup, his family has revealed.

Sompong Jaiwong, 13, was pictured smiling last week in an England shirt while huddled on a rocky ledge with his team mates deep in the cave network in Thailand's Chiang Rai province.

The youngster - known to friends as Pong - dreams of becoming a footballer and representing his nation, according to his former teacher.

Sompong Jaiwong, one of the young footballers trapped underground in Thailand, supports England and would 'love' the Three Lions to win the World Cup, his family has revealed. He is pictured with team mates wearing an England shirt

Sompong Jaiwong, 13, was pictured smiling last week in an England shirt while huddled on a rocky ledge with his team mates deep in the cave network in Thailand's Chiang Rai province

He is among 12 boys who are still trapped in caves along with their coach. An international team of experts is desperately trying to come up with a way of rescuing them before monsoon rain sets in.

Today Pong's family said the Liverpool supporter, who plays as a left sided midfielder, 'would love England to win' in Russia and loves Three Lions captain Harry Kane.

His uncle, Chai Jaiwong, told The Sun : 'We are worried sick about him and just want him home. He had been watching the World Cup with me before all this happened and he would love England to win it.

'His favourite player in the world is Messi but he loves English football and Harry Kane. He's football mad and spends all his spare time playing or watching.'

Previously, the teenager's teacher Manutsanun Kuntun told AFP that Pong had joined the youth leagues with the wish of one day going professional.

'Pong is a cheerful boy, he likes football, and every sport. He dreams of becoming a footballer for the Thai national team. Our class is still confident he will be OK.'

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Rescue teams hope that water can be sufficiently drained, allowing the trapped children to wade to safety while wearing lifejackets.

A former US Navy SEAL with thousands of hours of experience of diving in difficult conditions has warned that there will be fatalities if the children have to dive out. 

Cade Courtley said the situation was currently stable and non life threatening, but that 'some of these kids are going to die' if they are made to swim through the narrow dark tunnels.  

It comes after Tham Luang operation commander Narongsak Osotthanakorn said unregistered volunteers had been diverting water back into the ground in the belief they were helping. 

'They may have some belief that their technique is effective for ground water drainage, but anything that is not in the plan must be discussed with us first,' he said. 

Mr Narongsak, the former Chiang Rai governor, added: 'We are concerned about rain. We are racing against water. Water is flowing into the cave although we have plugged its channels.'

In a further twist, he revealed that a new phone was being transported to the cave after a previous device fell in the water and stopped working.  

He also revealed the children have undergone their first day of scuba diving training in preparation for their evacuation.

They will undergo a thorough medical examination to decide whether they are fit enough for the arduous escape.  

Family members pass time near the Tham Luang cave complex, where members of an under-16 soccer team and their coach have been found alive

Chiang Rai provincial governor Narongsak Osatanakorn, who is overseeing the rescue, said 30 teams are searching for an airhole

Authorities did not under-estimate the challenge facing the youngsters, Governor Narongsak said, revealing that it took the Thai Navy Seals six hours to reach the boys and five hours to return, negotiating their way through the complex cave system.

But he said: 'The water level remains the main concern and the need for urgency.' 

It comes as it emerged there may be a secret passage out of the cave. The boys aged 11 to 16 told rescuers they have heard dogs barking, roosters crowing and children playing despite being 800 metres underground.

This has led officials to think there may be another way out through a 'chimney hole' to the surface.

Osatanakorn, who is overseeing the rescue, said 30 teams are searching for an airhole. He believes there must be one for the boys to have been able to breathe for so long.

If rescuers can drill down to the boys, that would offer an alternative to teaching them how to swim and scuba dive so they can be led to safety through the flooded cave. 

The boys aged 11 to 16 told rescuers they have heard dogs barking, roosters crowing and children playing despite being 800 metres underground. Pictured: Police at the scene

Team work: Thai soldiers are pictured carrying equipment as they make preparations for what will be a tense rescue operation

The youngsters aged 11 to 16 and their 25-year-old coach were on Monday found alive by British volunteer divers John Volanthen and Rick Stanton after nine days lost in the Thamg Luang cave network in the country's north, which they reportedly entered as part of an initiation ritual. Pictured: Rescue workers in the cave complex on Wednesday

Australian Federal Police and Defense Force personnel talk each other near a cave where 12 boys and their soccer coach are trapped

On Wednesday Mr Osatanakorn said that 'all 13 may not come out at the same time.'

He said authorities will evaluate their readiness each day and if there is any risk will not proceed.  

'If the condition is right and if that person is ready, 100 per cent, he can come out,' he added. 

It comes after a new video was released showing the boys in good spirits after 11 days underground.

The boys and their coach are seen sitting with Thai Navy Seals in the dark cave with their visibly skinny faces illuminated by the beam of a flashlight.

The youngsters, many wrapped in foil warming blankets, take turns introducing themselves, folding their hands together in a traditional greeting and saying their names and that they are healthy.

The minute-long video was recorded some time on Tuesday and was posted on the Navy Seal Facebook page on Wednesday morning.

The boys and their coach disappeared after they went exploring in the Tham Luang Nang Non cave in northern Chiang Rai province after a football game on June 23.

Rescue workers are seen by the Tham Luang Nang Non cave in northern Chiang Rai province

Meanwhile, the anguished mothers of the stranded school boys today offered prayers for the swift rescue of their beloved sons.

Nine relatives of the missing footballers lit incense sticks made offering of rice to a shrine just yards from the entrance of the Tham Luang cavern, near Mae Sai, in the far north of the country.

In a moving ceremony the mothers bowed their heads in prayer in front of statue of Buddha and called upon the deity to make the water flooding the cave recede and for their sons to be brought to the surface quickly and safely.

Among the family members was Ratdao Chantapoon, the mother of Prajak Sutham, 14, one of 12 boys from the Wild Boar football team who ventured into the underground network with their coach last month.

A friend revealed that the mothers decided to pray and make offerings to the Buddha and the sacred spirit.

A desperate search for them drew assistance from experts around the globe

Workers bring supplies for the trapped boys, who were trapped inside when heavy rains flooded the cave

While efforts to pump out floodwaters are continuing, some Thai officials have indicated that heavy rains forecast for this weekend could force them to decide the boys should swim and dive out using the same complicated route of narrow passageways through which their rescuers entered

A Thai army medic slips as his comrades carry a stretcher during a training exercise as rescuers work at the scene in Thailand

'They want to do everything they can to help their boys and get them home as soon as possible,' she told MailOnline.

'They have faith in the rescue operation to bring them out of the cave safely. But they wanted to offer their prayers to the sacred spirit to help.' 

The teammates, who were trapped inside when heavy rains flooded the cave, were found by rescue divers late on Monday night.

A desperate search drew experts from around the globe, including British divers Rick Stanton and John Volanthen, who were the first rescuers to reach the group.

Authorities said the boys were being looked after by seven members of the Thai Navy Seals, including medics, who were staying with them inside the cave.

They were mostly in stable condition and have received high-protein drinks. 

Rescuer workers prepare small diving masks to deliver to the youngsters inside Tham Luang Nang Non cave

A Thai navy officer carries a pig's head to worship celestrial guardians and spirits as the rescue operations for the child soccer team and their coach continue

Family members of the 12 boys and their soccer coach watch a video clip of 12 boys on television after they were found alive, in Mae Sai, Chiang Rai province

Huge pipes have been placed in the tunnel network in the hope of lowering the level of water in the cave network

Authorities said the boys, who had also been shown Tuesday in a video shot by the British diver who discovered them, were being looked after by seven members of the Thai navy SEALs, including medics, who were staying with them inside the cave. They were mostly in stable condition and have received high-protein drinks

Concerned family members are escorted by police close to the Tham Luang cave complex in northern Thailand