Five of seven people trapped in a flooded cave for a week in Laos were found alive on Wednesday, according to Laotian and Thai rescuers. The group had been missing since May 20 in Xaisomboun province, about 125 kilometers northeast of Vientiane.
Rescue Efforts Intensify
"We've found 5 people alive and all safe. There are still 2 people we are searching for," Laotian rescue group Rescue Volunteer for People announced on social media. Thai rescuer Kengkach Bangkawong confirmed the discovery, stating, "At 4:30 pm, we found our target. We found five people. We are looking for the other two."
Rescuers have been racing against time to extract the trapped individuals from the cave system, which is an abandoned gold mine. Heavy rain triggered flash flooding, blocking the exit and leaving the group stranded deep underground.
Challenges Inside the Cave
Finnish diver Mikko Paasi, who participated in the dramatic 2018 rescue of a youth football team from a flooded cave in Thailand, described the difficulties. "You have to navigate hundreds of meters of constant restrictions, flood waters, collapse hazards, and high risk of contaminated air quality," he said. The missing persons are believed to be in a terminal chamber about 300 meters from the exit.
Despite the challenges, rescuers remain hopeful. "We are still in high spirits that we will find the miners alive as they entered the mine with resources to stay sub-terrain for several days," Paasi added.
Water Level Drops, Ceremonies Held
By Wednesday morning, the water level in the cave had dried up considerably, with rescuers continuing to pump it out, according to state-run Lao Economic Daily. Before resuming operations, Laotian rescuers, local officials, and villagers performed a traditional spiritual ceremony, offering chickens and rice alcohol to the spirits believed to protect the mountain and the rescuers.
Images shared on social media showed the offerings placed beside the cave entrance. The cave system, located in a remote area, extends deep underground with multiple levels and narrow passages, making the rescue operation particularly complex.
Authorities and villagers have been working tirelessly to pump water out of the cave, but rescue teams were initially unable to reach the group. The discovery of five survivors has brought renewed hope, though the search for the remaining two continues.
