Five people who were trapped inside a flooded cave in Laos for a week have been found alive, rescuers from Laos and Thailand confirmed on Wednesday, while search efforts continue for two others still missing.
According to the rescue team, the survivors were discovered safe during an ongoing multi-agency operation. “We’ve found five people alive and all safe. There are still two people we are searching for,” a representative of the rescue volunteers said in a social media post.
Rescue workers and volunteers shared emotional scenes from inside the cave, including videos showing teams celebrating the breakthrough after days of difficult and dangerous search efforts in harsh conditions. One rescuer described the moment as overwhelming, saying he was “still shaking” after confirming the survivors were alive.
The group is believed to have been searching for gold in a remote cave in Xaisomboun province, located about 125 kilometers northeast of the capital Vientiane, when the entrance was blocked on May 19 following a landslide triggered by heavy rain and flash flooding.
One member of the group managed to escape earlier and alerted authorities, prompting a large-scale rescue operation involving around 100 personnel, dw.com reports.
Rescue efforts have been severely hampered by flooding, unstable terrain, and hazardous air conditions inside the cave system, which experts have described as a complex and dangerous environment resembling an abandoned mine.
International diving specialists, including experienced Thai rescuers, continue to assist in the operation as teams work urgently to locate the remaining two missing individuals.
