Rescuers Locate 5 of 7 Villagers Alive in Flooded Laos Cave; Search Continues for Two Missing
Five of the seven villagers who became trapped in a flooded cave in Laos were located alive by rescue teams on Wednesday, offering a flicker of hope in an operation that has gripped the nation and evoked memories of the dramatic 2018 rescue of a Thai youth soccer team.
The group was discovered by specialist cave divers in an underground cavern in Xaisomboun province, a rugged, mountainous region about 150 miles north of Vientiane. The five survivors are still stuck inside the cave, as rescuers continue searching for the two remaining missing men.
“Five people have been found safe. The search continues for the remaining two,” Thai rescue diver Kengkad Bongkawong wrote on Facebook at 4:30 p.m. local time. A Lao rescue organization, Rescue Volunteer for People, confirmed the five were “alive and all safe.”
Social media footage showed ground crews jumping in celebration, hugging, and crying upon learning the news. The emotional scenes underscored the high stakes of a rescue effort that has involved more than 100 personnel, including 15 experienced divers — some of whom contributed to the 2018 Tham Luang cave rescue in Thailand.
Finnish diver Mikko Paasi, part of the operation, shared his relief but warned the mission was far from over. “The task so far has been far from easy and everybody involved has done amazing work,” he wrote on Instagram. “All healthy and in good spirits, but the extraction is still ahead and it ain’t going to be easy.”
Paasi and another diver are now preparing to bring additional supplies to the trapped villagers, who reported feeling weak and extremely hungry but otherwise free of illness, according to video footage from inside the cave. The footage shows rescuers asking the men their names and health conditions; the villagers respond that they are not sick but are exhausted and starving.
The extraction phase is expected to be perilous. Rescuers had to navigate a 340-meter (1,115-foot) tunnel with sections as narrow as 23 inches, forcing some divers to remove their equipment to squeeze through. The tunnel is pitch-black and partially flooded, with water levels that have fluctuated due to heavy rain.
The seven men — all believed to be local villagers — entered the cave last Wednesday in search of gold, but heavy rain triggered flash flooding that sealed the entrance, according to Bongkawong. They are believed to be stranded on an elevated ledge with continuous airflow, the state-run Lao News Agency reported Tuesday.
The operation has drawn significant international attention, not only because of the Thai cave rescue parallel but also due to the logistical challenges in Laos, a country with limited cave rescue expertise and infrastructure. The incident highlights the growing risks of extreme weather in Southeast Asia, where unseasonal downpours have become more frequent and intense.
“It’s a brief relief,” Paasi added. “The survivors are still there, and getting them out will require careful planning, strong teamwork, and a bit of luck.”
Authorities have not yet disclosed a timeline for extraction. The divers are expected to assess each survivor’s physical condition, provide liquid and gel nutrition, and then coordinate a phased evacuation, likely using stretchers through the narrow passages.
This is a developing story and will be updated.