Archaeologists and divers on Mexico's Yucatan peninsula are reporting that they found a passage connecting two underwater caves, creating what they say is the world's longest continuous flooded cave.

Divers from the Great Maya Aquifer Project announced the discovery Wednesday. The combined cave is about 216 miles (347 kilometers) long.

The Sac Actun and Dos Ojos caves were previously known and are near the Caribbean coast town of Tulum. The combined cave will now be known as the Sac Actun system.

Divers have long known that the peninsula's underground caves and rivers are frequently connected, but finding this connection was a 14-year task.

Mammoth Cave in Kentucky remains the world's longest cave of any kind, with more than 400 miles (650 kilometers) explored.