Five rescued from flooded Laos cave; two still missing

A complex rescue operation in Laos has successfully brought five men to safety after they became trapped in a flooded cave. The group had entered the cave in the central Xaisomboun province, approximately 120 kilometers north of the capital Vientiane, in search of valuable minerals.

However, their expedition turned perilous when a sudden flash flood inundated the cave, blocking their only exit. Seven men were initially inside, but one managed to escape and alert authorities, leading to a multi-national rescue effort involving teams from Laos, Thailand, Japan, and Malaysia.

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A total of five people have now been rescued, while two remain missing.

Rescuers located the five men on Wednesday, about 300 meters from the cave mouth. They were found to be in good health but exhausted from dehydration and lack of food. While awaiting rescue, the trapped individuals were provided with water, soft food, and foil blankets to maintain their body temperature.

The rescue was made possible by continuous efforts to pump water out of the cave, a process complicated by a morning rainstorm on Friday. Divers navigated dark, narrow, and flooded passages with jagged walls in challenging conditions. Despite the successful rescue of five individuals, hopes are fading for the remaining two who are still missing, as search teams have covered approximately 95% of the tunnel system.

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We don’t have many places left to search.