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Water levels are rising inside a cave in Thailand where 12 boys and their football coach have been missing for four days.<br><br>Large hoses and pumps are being used in the rescue effort at the Tham Luang Nang Non cave in Chiang Rai [http://www.travelpod.com/s/province province] where Navy Seal divers say water levels are rising at a rate of 15cm per hour.<br><br>Interior Minister Anupong Paojinda told reporters that the elite divers leading the search were seriously handicapped by muddy water that has filled some chambers of the large cave to the ceilings.<br><br>He said the divers can proceed only when enough water is pumped out so there is space between the water and the ceiling to make it safer to work. The divers will also soon start using special oxygen tanks that provide longer diving times, he said.<br><br>A diver said the water is so murky that even with lights they cannot see where they are going underwater, so they need to be able to lift their heads above the water.<br><br>The boys aged 11-16 have been missing since their 25-year-old coach took them to the cave complex on Saturday after a practice match. Officials have previously said they believe they are still alive.<br><br>Somkuan Saokeaw, a volunteer rescue worker who had just left the cave area where a diving team was operating, said on Wednesday that they had worked through the night in the farthest chamber they could access.<br><br>Rescue workers bring in large hoses and additional water pumps<br><br>Divers have been seeking a way forward through the chambers of the cave complex, but have been forced to suspend their search several times.<br><br>The authorities are also seeking alternative ways in, using helicopters and search parties on foot to find possible holes in the ceilings of other parts of the cave.<br><br>A glimmer of hope was dashed on Tuesday after explorers found two fissures in the rock on the mountain in which the cave is located. After evaluation, experts found neither could be used as a �chimney� to gain access to the cave.<br><br>The cave complex extends several miles and has wide chambers and narrow passageways with rocky outcrops and changes in elevation. But officials have said they are hopeful the  [https://burmatourist.com/things-to-know-about-the-myanmar-map myanmar map] boys found a safe space away from the floods.<br><br>Authorities have said footprints and handprints were found inside the cave complex, as well as other items thought to belong to the boys. They noted that tourists trapped there by past floods have been rescued after the waters receded.<br><br>[https://burmatourist.com/things-to-know-about-the-myanmar-map burma map] The cave, cut into a mountainside near the border with [https://burmatourist.com/things-to-know-about-the-myanmar-map burma map], can flood severely during the rainy season, which runs from June to October.<br><br>Advertisement