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Rescue teams locate five survivors in submerged cave
Five villagers trapped in a flooded cave in Laos for seven days have been found alive, rescue teams confirmed on Wednesday. Two others from the group remain missing after heavy rains and landslides blocked the cave's entrance.
How the group became trapped
The seven individuals, all residents of Xaysomboun province in central Laos, entered the cave last Wednesday in search of gold and wildlife. Rising water levels and debris sealed the exit, leaving them stranded approximately 300 meters (984 feet) from the entrance, according to rescue divers.
State media reported the cave is located about 120 kilometers (75 miles) north of the capital, Vientiane. A local rescuer, identified only as Baeng for security reasons, told AFP the area is unowned and frequently visited by villagers for foraging.
Challenging rescue operation
Footage released by rescuers showed divers navigating narrow, mud-filled passages barely 50 centimeters (20 inches) wide in some sections. Finnish rescue diver Mikko Paasi described the environment as an "abandoned gold mine" with "constant restrictions, floodwaters, collapse risks, and poor air quality."
Thai rescuer Kengkach Bangkawong, who was part of the 2018 Thai cave rescue, announced on Facebook that the five survivors were located at 16:30 local time (09:30 GMT).
Survivors found, search continues for two missing
Bounkham Luanglath of the Laotian organization Rescue Volunteer for People confirmed the five were alive and unharmed. "I'm still shaking," he said in a voice message to the Associated Press. "Our team made it happen."
The group posted on social media: "We've found five people alive and all safe. There are still two people we are searching for."
Echoes of Thailand's 2018 cave rescue
Kengkach was among the international team that rescued 12 Thai boys and their football coach from a flooded cave in Chiang Rai province in 2018. That operation, which involved over 10,000 experts, captivated global audiences and inspired films like Thirteen Lives and the documentary The Rescue.
Rescue efforts in Laos are ongoing, with teams vowing to continue searching for the two missing villagers.
