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ENVIRONMENT

The Latest: FIFA invites trapped Thai boys to World Cup

Associated Press
Published | Updated
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MAE SAI, Thailand – The Latest on the rescue of 12 boys and their soccer coach in a cave in northern Thailand (all times local):

2:45 p.m.

FIFA has sent a letter to the president of the Football Association of Thailand offering its "deepest sympathies and support" to the families of young soccer players and their coach trapped in cave in the country's north.

The letter signed by FIFA President Gianni Infantino also says the organization would like to invite the youngsters and their coach to the World Cup final in Russia, should they be rescued in time and are healthy enough to travel.

The letter says the team's appearance at the final would "undoubtedly be a wonderful moment of communion and celebration."

The boys have asked the navy SEALs taking care of them in the cave for details about what has happened in the World Cup since they got trapped June 23.

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11:45 a.m.

The commander of Thai navy SEALs working to rescue a youth soccer team trapped in a cave in the country's north says he believes there is "a limited amount of time" left in which to extract the boys.

SEAL commander Arpakorn Yookongkaew told a news conference Friday morning: "At first we thought that we could sustain the kids' lives for a long time where they are now, but now, many things have changed. We have a limited amount of time."

He did not elaborate. The comments came hours after a former navy SEAL working on the rescue passed out while diving and later died.

A senior army commander, Maj. Gen. Chalongchai Chaiyakam, says that the most pressing mission now is to provide an oxygen line to reach the kids.

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9:45 a.m.

Thai authorities say a former navy SEAL working to rescue boys trapped in cave has died from lack of oxygen.

SEAL commander Arpakorn Yookongkaew told a news conference Friday morning that the rescuer was working in a volunteer capacity and died during an overnight mission in which he was placing oxygen canisters.

Thai authorities are racing to pump out water from a flooded cave where 12 boys and their soccer coach have been trapped since June 23.