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Thai cave rescue in photos: Rescuers extract soccer team trapped in cave

Sunday, July 8, 2018

Rescuer working near a cave where 12 boys and their soccer coach have been trapped since June 23, in Mae Sai, Chiang Rai province, in northern Thailand Sunday, July 8, 2018.

Two ambulances are seen leaving the cave in northern Thailand hours after operations began to rescue trapped youth soccer players.

This undated photo released via the Thai NavySEAL Facebook Page on Sunday, July 8, 2018, says "We, Thai and international teams join forces to bring the young Wild Boars home."

Rescuers arrive near the cave where 12 boys and their soccer coach have been trapped since June 23, in Mae Sai, Chiang Rai province, in northern Thailand Sunday, July 8, 2018.

Australian Federal Police and Defense Force personnel arrive near a cave where 12 boys and their soccer coach have been trapped since June 23,.

Thai police stand guard near a cave where 12 boys and their soccer coach have been trapped since June 23, in Mae Sai, Chiang Rai province, in northern Thailand.

Thai policemen stand guard near a cave where 12 boys and their soccer coach have been trapped since June 23, in Mae Sai, Chiang Rai province.

Rescuer walk out from cave where 12 boys and their soccer coach have been trapped since June 23, in Mae Sai, Chiang Rai province, in northern Thailand Sunday, July 8, 2018.

Australian Federal Police and Defense Force personnel arrive near a cave where 12 boys and their soccer coach have been trapped since June 23, in Mae Sai, Chiang Rai province.

Family members pray near a cave where 12 boys and their soccer coach have been trapped since June 23, in Mae Sai, Chiang Rai province, in northern Thailand Saturday, July 7, 2018.

Thai rescue teams use a water pumping system at the entrance to a flooded cave complex where 12 boys and their soccer coach went missing.

Thai rescue teams walk inside cave complex where 12 boys and their soccer coach went missing in Mae Sai, Chiang Rai province, northern Thailand.

Family members pray in front of a Buddhist statue near a cave where 12 boys and their soccer coach have been trapped since June 23, in Mae Sai, Chiang Rai province.

Thai rescue teams arrange a water pumping system at the entrance to a flooded cave complex where 12 boys and their soccer coach went missing in northern Thailand.

Family members pray in front giant Buddhist statue near a cave where 12 boys and their soccer coach have been trapped since June 23, in northern Thailand Saturday, July 7, 2018.

Thai soldiers line up to the cave area as they continue the search for a young soccer team and their coach believed to be missing in a large cave, Wednesday, June 27, 2018.

International rescuers team prepare to walk in a cave where a young soccer team and their coach are believed to be missing, Thursday, July 5, 2018.

Thai rescues team walk inside cave complex where 12 boys and their soccer coach went missing, in Mae Sai, Chiang Rai province, in northern Thailand, Monday, July 2, 2018.

International rescuers team prepare walk in of a cave where a young soccer team and their coach are believed to be missing, Thursday, July 5, 2018.

A U.S. military rescue team is briefed by the Thai Navy SEALs at the staging area outside the Tham Luang Nang Non cave in Mae Sai, Chiang Rai province, northern Thailand .

Members of the emergency rescue team talk in the staging area as they continue the search for a young soccer team and their coach believed to be missing in a large cave.

In this handout photo released by the Thai Navy, Thai rescue teams walk inside the cave complex where 12 boys and their soccer coach went missing in northern Thailand.

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Thai cave rescue in photos: Rescuers extract soccer team trapped in caveRescuer working near a cave where 12 boys and their soccer coach have been trapped since June 23, in Mae Sai, Chiang Rai province, in northern Thailand Sunday, July 8, 2018.

AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit

MAE SAI, Thailand -- For weeks, 12 young soccer players and their coach were trapped in a partially flooded cave in northern Thailand, riveting the nation and making news around the world. On Tuesday, it was announced that the last of them had been rescued.

The boys, aged 11-16, and their 25-year-old coach were missing for over a week before rescue divers finally found them. The boys were skinny and hungry but were in good health. Authorities spent days determining how best to rescue the players after efforts to pump out water from the cave were set back by heavy rain.

The desperate search and rescue operation saw experts from around the world join in, with teams from Britain, the U.S., Australia, China and elsewhere all participating.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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