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As it happened: Heroic effort sees all 12 boys and their football coach safely rescued from treacherous Thailand cave

July 10, 2018

1 NEWS' Kimberlee Downs with the latest from Chiang Rai, as four boys and their football coach await rescue.

Relive 1 NEWS NOW's LIVE coverage from the Tham Luang cave, as day three of the rescue unfolded in dramatic and ultimately successful fashion.

The story so far:

* All 12 boys and their coach have been rescued from the cave system and taken to hospital

12.51am:  This concludes our live coverage. Click here for a wrap up story of the day's amazing events.

12.32am:  The brave diver didn't give his life in vain.

12.25am:  A Facebook post from the Thai Navy SEALS is urging everyone to send encouragement to the divers and medics still exiting the cave.

Looks like there are four still to come out until today's operation can be hailed a total success.

12.15am: A picture from today's rescue scene.

12.07am:  More happy scenes from the volunteer camp.

12.04am:  Still some brave rescuers to exit the cave.

11.55pm:  Rescue of final Wild Boar boy and their coach has been confirmed by the Thai Navy SEALS.

11.50pm:  Reports of a 12th boy coming out of the cave.

11.50pm: 

11.40pm:  Plenty of heroes have been made in the last three days.

11.30pm:  A picture of a helicopter flying from direction of caves towards Chiang Rai hospital, taken by 1 NEWS' Kimberlee Downs.

11.12pm:  Good spirits at the rescue scene.

11.05pm:  Reports coming in from Fairfax that the 12th boy is in chamber 3 near the cave's entrance.

If confirmed that will soon leave only the coach and remaining rescue crew to come out.

10.45pm:  The Guardian reports the Thai PM has cleared up a rumour the boys were sedated for their dangerous journey out of the cave.

10.35pm:  1 NEWS' Kimberlee Downs, who is in Chiang Rai, spoke to one volunteer who travelled from Hong Kong to help there.

He didn't want to be named or photographed, but when asked how he feels now, simply said "I'm hopeful".

The volunteers in Chiang Rai have been such an inspiring force throughout this rescue mission Kimberlee says.

10.32pm:  Thai TV say the eleventh to be rescued is the smallest, assumed to be 11-year-old Chanin Wiboonrungrueng.

His identity has not yet been confirmed. 

10.30pm: More confirmation on the 11th rescue from the Guardian.

10.20pm:  Reuters and CNN are now reporting witnesses have seen an eleventh boy coming out of the cave, making three rescued tonight.

10.20pm:  If the reports that the two rescued have both been young members of the Wild Boar football team, then it looks like their 25-year-old coach could be the last person to be rescued from the cave as expected.

10.00pm: The Thai Navy SEALS have posted on Facebook about the time of today's first rescue.

"The 9th Wild Boar was out of the cave at 4:06 pm. Hooyah!"

That would make it 9.06pm NZ time.

9.50pm:  Confirmation from the Guardian of the tenth boy being rescued. Three to go.

9.36pm:  Just like that Reuters have tweeted that another boy has emerged on a stretcher.

9.35pm:  Last night the rescues came thick and fast after the first one, could be a similar story tonight.

9.22pm:  Confirmation from the Guardian.

9.13pm:  Reuters and CNN are reporting the ninth person has been brought out of the cave on a stretcher.

9.05pm:  More on the ambulance sighting. Still no confirmation that one of the boys, or their coach, was inside.

8.55pm:  At least nine ambulances have been waiting at the site after the leader of the rescue operation said tonight's aim was to bring out all five as well as a medic and three Thai Navy SEALS, who have been with the trapped boys.

8.50pm: An Ambulance has been seen leaving the site of the cave rescue effort in northern Thailand, Associated Press reports.

These sightings have previously led to the announcement of a rescue shortly after on previous evenings.

8.35pm:  Teachers and classmates of some of the children rescued, or still trapped in a flooded cave in northern Thailand, have spoken about them.

8.25pm:  Chiang Rai Gov. Narongsak Osatanakorn said this phase may take longer than the previous two rescue missions.

Might be a long night ahead, as this mission involves getting out more people than the previous two.

8.05pm:  Tech entrepreneur Elon Musk posted video showing people working their way through chest-high water in the Tham Luang cave system.

He says he visited "Cave 3" earlier today.

7.50pm:  A helpful graphic to illustrate some of the dangers facing the rescue mission this evening.

7.35pm:  A diver helping transport air tanks for the SEAL team, Narongsuk Keasub, has spoken with CNN about the dangers of the rescue mission.

He said it was "the hardest mission" he's ever done.

"We could only see our hands (and a) short distance, secondly the stones are razor sharp which is dangerous for our diving, thirdly the passage is very narrow," Mr Keasub told CNN.

7.20pm:  If you missed it earlier, this story covers the food most of the boys have been requesting once they get out of the cave.

Here's hoping they will all be enjoying the delicacy together very soon.

7.05pm:  This is the scene that will greet those emerging from the cave in tonight's planned rescue.

6.55pm: There is no room for complacency in the mission tonight.

1 NEWS' Kimberlee Downs reports that today's mission will be complicated by the fact there are more people to extract, including medics and divers who are stationed in the cave with the group.

6.45pm:  So when can we expect the first boy to emerge from the cave tonight?

They have been coming out faster with each rescue and with the operation starting an hour earlier today, it might be around 9.30pm NZ time that we first hear news.

6.19pm: The rescued boys are undergoing further tests, and have been kept away from TVs in order to not affect their mental health, the Guardian reports.

6.15pm: "Today is 10 July 2018. It will be longer than previous ones. We will celebrate together! Hooyah!" Thai Navy Seals involved in the rescue operation posted to Facebook.

6.13pm: Families have vowed to wait at the cave entrance until all of the boys, and their coach, have been freed from the cave, CNN reports.

5.59pm: Four ambulances and a convoy of other vehicles arrived at the cave site Tuesday morning as rain hit the region, the Associated Press reports.

5.42pm: The rescue chief has politely dismissed help from Space X founder Elon Musk, who has spent several days designing and building a small submarine to aid the rescue effort, the Guardian reports.

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