Rescuers Pull Four from Flooded Cave in Laos; Two Still Missing as International Teams Join Search
BANGKOK, May 30 (Reuters) — Rescue teams in Laos extracted four men from a flooded cave on Saturday, Thai volunteer rescuers confirmed, just hours after a fifth survivor was brought out late Friday evening.
The five are among seven Lao nationals who entered the cave in Xaisomboun province to prospect for gold. They became trapped more than a week ago when rising waters blocked their only exit. Two of the group remain unaccounted for, and search efforts are ongoing.
Kengkard Bongkawong, a Thai cave diver participating in the mission, posted on Facebook that all four of the trapped individuals had emerged from the cave by Saturday. Video footage shared by volunteer groups showed rescuers guiding the men out with headlamps strapped to their heads, their clothes caked in mud. Many of the survivors appeared emotional, some weeping with relief as they were brought to safety.
The five rescued men were first located by rescuers on Wednesday but remained pinned inside due to floodwaters. Officials said they would continue searching for the two missing individuals, using every available resource.
The operation has drawn an international response. A team of volunteers from neighboring Thailand joined the effort last Sunday, and additional reinforcements — including divers from Finland, France, Indonesia, Malaysia, Japan and Australia — have since arrived, according to the volunteer group’s Facebook updates.
Several members of the international team participated in the 17-day rescue at the Tham Luang cave in northern Thailand in 2018, a harrowing mission that captivated the world. That experience has proved invaluable in coordinating the current response in Laos, where rugged terrain and rising water levels complicate the search.
Authorities have not released the names of the survivors or the missing, but local media reported that the rescued men were being treated for dehydration and exhaustion. The cave, located in a remote mountainous area, is believed to have multiple chambers that may still hold the missing pair.