Last five trapped in Thai cave will be brought out 'at the same time': rescue chief

Police officers block a road leading to the Tham Luang cave complex, where members of a soccer team trapped are in a flooded cave, in the northern province of Chiang Rai, Thailand, July 9, 2018. REUTERS/Soe Zeya Tun

BANGKOK/CHIANG RAI, Thailand (Reuters) - The third phase of an operation to rescue four remaining boys and their soccer coach trapped inside a flooded Thai cave began on Tuesday morning, the head of the rescue mission said.

Narongsak Osottanakorn told a news conference the latest rescue operation began at about 10:08 a.m. local time (0308 GMT).

"All five will be brought out at the same time today," he said, to cheers from reporters and rescue workers.

(Reporting by Amy Sawitta Lefevre, Panu Wongcha-um and Panarat Thepgumpanat; Editing by Paul Tait)