After an exhaustive search, a dozen teenage Thai soccer players and their coach — who went missing in late June — were freed alive from a cave in Thailand on Monday.

All of those who were trapped in the cave are safe, said Thai official Narongsak Osatanakorn, according to a Fox News report.

Police dispatched a rescue team on June 21 to retrieve 12 missing boys, ages 11 to 15 years old, along with their coach. The authorities believe they entered the Tham Luang Nang Non cave in Chiang Rai province late on that Saturday afternoon.

The group was “apparently trapped when a heavy storm flooded a stream at the cave’s entrance,” the Associated Press reported.

A forest official told the AP the passage was extremely small and was “flooded and covered with sand and mud.”

Navy SEAL divers were deployed to assist in the rescue effort, according to AP.

“We went in a few kilometers and were able to enter a second chamber behind the entrance,” said Lt. Naponwath Homsai, a SEAL team member. “In that chamber, there was an area where I saw shoes and bags left behind on the ground. We believe the students [had] gone further in.”

Grieving family members were on edge about the missing children, who officials believed to be safe, according to USA Today.

“Our family is hoping that the children trapped inside will have formed a group and are safe and waiting for officials to go in and save them in time,” Noppadol Kantawong, the father of one of the missing boys, told Thai PBS before the discovery. “That’s what I’m hoping.”

Breaking news reports on Monday around noon are indicating all the missing children have been saved in time.

Who do you think would win the Presidency?

By completing the poll, you agree to receive emails from LifeZette, occasional offers from our partners and that you've read and agree to our privacy policy and legal statement.

Kyle Becker is a content writer and producer with LifeZette. Follow him on Twitter.

(photo credit, homepage and article: YouTube)