Thailand cave mission: The team says it heard dogs bark, chickens crow; are the boys hallucinating?

Bangkok, July 6: As rescue teams attempting to reach the football team of 12 boys and their coach try to discover possible entry points to the place underground where the team has taken shelter, the boys reportedly told the divers that they heard dogs barking, chickens crowing and children playing, a CNN report said.

One of the rescue workers from Belgium who is helping in the mission told CNN about the same. He wondered whether it was a hallucination for the youngsters who have been staying in the secluded place for almost two weeks now or was there any possibility of a livestock nearby, giving hope that there could be an alternative entrance to the isolated place, the CNN report added.

The rescue officials have abandoned the plan of drilling into the rock to create new ways to reach the stranded group and are instead trying to find existing routes. They were doing their job fast since rains were in forecast this weekend and once downpour begins, the entire rescue mission will be under threat.

The rescue workers were pumping water out of the flooded caves but yet the low-lying narrow passages were submerged to allow the boys an easy exit. Added rain will only make the matter worse for the team - three members of which have reportedly been exhausted because of malnutrition and fatigue.

The Thailand Navy SEALs have rushed food, water, medical aid, essentials besides oxygen to the chamber to help the young boys survive the plight.