Rescuers Rescue 5 Alive From Flooded Laos Cave; 2 Still Missing After Week-Long Search
Five villagers trapped for more than a week in a flooded cave in central Laos were found alive Wednesday, but two others remain missing, according to Lao and Thai rescue teams involved in the operation.
The group entered the cave in Xaisomboun province on May 19, but heavy rain triggered flash flooding that sealed the exit, trapping seven people underground. A Thai rescue team’s video showed divers surfacing to find the five huddled on a rock, wearing headlamps, surrounded by murky floodwater.
Mikko Paasi, the Finnish diver leading the operation, told CBS News chief correspondent Matt Gutman from deep inside the cave that he and his partner plan to continue searching for the missing pair. For now, the priority is getting food and water to the survivors, who were disoriented but otherwise okay. “They didn’t know exactly where they were,” Paasi said. Getting supplies in will be treacherous due to narrow passages and rising water.
Video from the scene showed rescuers cheering, jumping and embracing after the discovery. Paasi, who also took part in the 2018 rescue of 12 Thai schoolboys and their soccer coach, noted that the ideal solution would be to pump water out of the cave, allowing the trapped to walk out. But he warned of carbon dioxide buildup in the small chamber and questioned whether the survivors are strong enough to make the difficult journey out.
The cave lies in a remote, mountainous area in Longcheng district, about 75 miles north of Vientiane. Reaching the entrance requires a steep 2.5-mile hike, and the opening is barely wide enough for one person to climb through at a time. Rescue efforts have been hampered by the rugged terrain and persistent rain.
Authorities have not confirmed why the villagers went into the cave, but local officials say the area is frequently used by residents searching for gold, despite repeated warnings about safety risks. The muddy mine entrance, deep in dense jungle miles from any road, has become the base for the ongoing rescue operation.