Authorities also said Thai airlines will offer help to family members of the victims by transporting bodies home. Searches will continue on Monday. 

One Chinese team was dispatched by the Ministry of Transport with 10 members. The other is a civilian team from Zhejiang province, where at least 37 of the 127 Chinese are from. Both teams started to work after arriving on Saturday. 

He Jun, head of the civilian team, the Rescue Team of Ram Union, said five of his men arrived on Saturday with two experts from the State Oceanic Administration. Another eight arrived on Sunday and three more will join them on Monday. 

The civilian team got the green light to start their work from Thailand's military at noon on Sunday and members who would conduct diving missions all recorded video "testaments" before leaving for the site. "They all volunteered to come," He said via WeChat. 

"We came to find the victims and send them back home. I know the danger, but will make every effort to survive," diver Su Linyuan, 33, said in a video shared with media by He.