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Before the jubilant announcement of the rescue, officials conceded they were in a desperate race against time and weather. Meteorologists were forecasting a 30 to 40 percent chance of thunderstorms in the northern region of the country on Wednesday.

\"PHOTO:
AFP via Newscom
PHOTO: Map shows location and possible path taken by soccer team that went missing in a cave in Thailand.
>

About 1,000 volunteers and rescuers, including a U.S. military team, had established a base camp near the mouth of the cave. Family members of the lost group were also in the area monitoring any news from rescuers and praying at a makeshift shrine.

Search teams from China, Japan, Australia and England had also traveled to the area to assist in the rescue operations.

\"PHOTO:
Sakchai Lalit/AP
PHOTO: A military transport helicopter prepares to carry drill machine to be used for the search of missing 12 boys and their soccer coach, in Mae Sai, Chiang Rai province, in northern Thailand, July 2, 2018.
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