Rescuers pull four from flooded cave in Laos, two still missing

Rescuers successfully extracted four individuals from a flooded cave in Laos on Saturday, where they had been trapped for more than a week while searching for gold. The four are among seven Lao nationals who entered the cave in Xaisomboun province, but rising waters blocked their exit, leaving two still missing.

Video footage shared by Thai volunteers depicted rescuers guiding the four Laotian men out of the cave. They appeared visibly relieved, with some crying, as they emerged with flashlights and muddy clothing. These five individuals had been located by rescuers on Wednesday but remained trapped until Saturday's extraction.

The rescue operation has drawn international support, with a team of volunteers from neighboring Thailand joining the effort last Sunday. Further reinforcements, including divers from Finland, France, Indonesia, Malaysia, Japan, and Australia, have also arrived. Notably, some members of this international team previously participated in the 2018 Tham Luang cave rescue in Thailand, a 17-day operation that captivated the world.

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all four of the trapped people had emerged from the cave.