Persistent Divers searching for 12 boys and their football coach trapped in a flooded Thai cave over a week ago are near the area believed they were stranded.

Rescuers believe they are less than 1km (0.6 miles) from where the boys may be, but are blocked by a narrow tunnel.

Nothing has been heard from the boys aged 11 to 16 and their coach since they went to explore the Tham Luang caves in Chiang Rai on 23 June.

The hope is they sought safety on a mound in an underground chamber.

Rescuers have been helped by falling water levels inside the cave but are making slow progress.

The group's plight has gripped the country and led to an outpouring of support and hope.

Heavy rain - and the knowledge they were not equipped for a long stay underground - has led to fears that the boys and their coach might not survive.

Rear Admiral Apakorn Yuukongkaew, commander of the Thai Navy Seals, on Sunday said his divers had reached "chamber three" in the cave complex.

They had been forced back from that location by rising floodwaters earlier in the week.

From there they have to get to an area nicknamed "Pattaya Beach" after the well-known Thai beach resort city.

"It is hard because it's dark and flooded. The most important thing for today is speeding up to reach the kids," he told reporters.

They made further progress on Monday but now have to widen a section of flooded tunnel in order to reach the boys' possible location.