The US Army joins the search for Thai children trapped in a flooded cave: NPR

The rain continued to fall in northern Thailand as attempts to find 12 boys and their football coach in a flooded cave become more desperate.

The boys, aged 11 to 16, disappeared on Saturday night after playing football. Their belongings were found outside the Tham Luang cave, near a sign that warned visitors not to enter due to floods during the rainy season.

Since then, rescue teams including Royal Thai Navy SEAL divers, soldiers, police and officials have worked day and night to save them. The authorities believe that the boys are alive but are trapped on deeper grounds inside the sprawling complex.

And now the United States has arrived. A team from US Pacific Command, including pararescu and survival specialists, arrived from Okinawa on Wednesday night, local time.

The search and rescue team came at the request of the Thai government, said Jillian Bonnardeaux, a spokeswoman for the US Embassy in Bangkok.

"The team is evaluating the environment and developing potential routes to move forward with the Thai side," said Bonnardeaux. "I know we, the United States, are ready to stay as long as necessary to support the Thai operation." She added that the core team is made up of 17 people.

British divers also arrived at the site but were unable to enter the cave due to incessant rains. Some parts of the complex received up to six inches of water per hour overnight, authorities said.

"The water rises quickly and completely fills the cave," said the Thai Navy unit Thursday on Facebook. "A dive team is waiting and waiting."

The rising waters also presented an electrical hazard to crews using power cables. The authorities had to turn off the water and water pumps that had to lower the water levels. Associated Press reported.

The elite divers had to contort their bodies to pass through narrow passages and tight turns that had flooded the ceiling with murky water.

"We must wait until the water level decreases, [Divers] can not do anything yet," said Interior Minister Paojinda Anupong, according to the AP.

Rescue teams have now begun to explore different options for entering the cave.

Soldiers searched the hill from above for other entry points they could rappel into – although the rain affected their visibility and for some time helicopters could not be used, according to The Bangkok Post.

The Thai Army announced that it would begin drilling from the top of the cave complex to give rescuers another way, reports Michael Sullivan of Chiang Rai for NPR

"We are going to drill and use an infrared camera that can take pictures, "said Lieutenant-General Kraiboon Suadsong, Commissioner of the Police Strategy Bureau, at The New York Times." We know where we should be drilling. "[19659023] The parents of the missing pray in front of the grotto on Wednesday, while the rescuers continue their frantic mission.

Lillian Suwanrumpha / AFP / Getty Images

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