Bangkok, July 10: All 13 members of the Wild Boars soccer team, including twelve under-17 boys and their 25-year-old coach, have been rescued from the Thuam Luang caves in Chiang Rai city, where they were stranded since June 23.

The operation to save them was initiated last week after a team of British cave divers detected their presence several kilometres inside the cave complex on Friday.

The first success for the rescuers came on Sunday, when four kids were saved. On Monday, another batch of four were rescued. The remaining five were freed today, after nearly seven hours of continuous efforts.

Narongsak Osottanakorn, chief of the rescue mission, said the survivors have been admitted at the Chiang Rai Prachanukroh hospital. They are being given an appropriate diet, along being treated for infection contracted through bat droppings.

The thirteen members of the soccer team had ventured for a picnic at the Thuam Luang caves, a popular tourist attraction in Thailand, on June 23. They, however, entered into parts of the cave which are restricted for tourists during the rainfall season.

As incessant rainfall began on the day, most parts of the caves were engulfed with floods, cutting them off the exit route. In order to save themselves from getting drowned, the coach and his team pushed themselves further into the interiors of the cave complex.

After their presence was detected, a team of international cave divers, comprising of 13 experts from the UK, the US and South Africa among other nations reached Thailand to join the rescue operations. They were accompanied by five senior Thai Navy Seal personnel.

The success of the rescue operation, however, is marred with sadness as a retired personnel of the Thai Navy, Saman Kunan, died on Friday while attempting to supply oxygen into the interior of the caves.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 10, 2018 06:08 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).