The final mission to rescue the last 5 members of the Thai soccer team has begun

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• The remaining five members of the Thai soccer team will be rescued today, officials have confirmed.
• The rescue mission began at 10 a.m. Tuesday.
• The rescue chief said efforts were expected "quicker or at least as quick as yesterday."

The remaining five members of the Thai soccer team will be rescued today, officials have confirmed.

Rescue mission leader Narongsak Osatanakorn said at a sudden press conference on Tuesday that the rescue mission began at 10 a.m. local time and the remaining four children and their coach are expected to come out today.

"We expect that everybody will be out today, the children and coach and everybody will be out today," Osatanakorn told reporters.

"Today we might have to wait longer, but it will be worth the wait," he added.

Osatanakorn said officials did not want to waste time because of intensifying rain that could halt rescue efforts.

"Water levels are the same like the last two days," he said, adding that rescue efforts were expected to be "quicker or at least as quick as yesterday."

19 divers are involved in the mission to bring the last four boys and their coach to safety.