Four more men rescued after more than a week trapped in a flooded cave in Laos

Five men have been freed after spending more than a week trapped in a flooded cave in Laos, according to rescuers, with two others still missing.

Subscribe to read this story ad-free

Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.

The first of the five men was rescued on Friday, with footage shared on social media showing him emerging from a narrow crevice after rescuers guided the man through a water-filled tunnel, crawling on their hands and knees while wearing breathing apparatus.

Kengkard Bongkawong, President of the Mettatham Association Rescue Unit, said on Facebook Saturday that the remaining four men were “out of the cave.”

Thai rescue diver, Chakkrit Taengtang, also posted on Facebook Saturday: “All four people are out.”

All the men were “quite weak” after days trapped in the cave, Bongkawong said Friday, with the rescue held back to allow them to recover some strength.

Seven people are thought to have entered the mazelike cave network in Laos’ Xaisomboun Province on May 19 to look for gold, becoming trapped when heavy rain and flash flooding blocked the entrance to the cave.

Specialist divers located five of the men huddled together on a rock on Wednesday, capturing the moment of their discovery on video after navigating through the claustrophobic, muddy water-filled cave.

It is unclear where the two remaining men are, with search efforts set to continue Saturday, 11 days on from their disappearance.

The flooding has complicated the rescue efforts, with visibility inside the cave limited by the murky water.

Specialists have been working to pump water out of the cave ahead of the rescue mission. Video from Friday showed rescuers squeeze through small, claustrophobic tunnels.

When they were discovered on Wednesday, the men on the rock had ripped clothes and dirty faces, seemingly stunned that they had been found alive. One told the camera: “Don’t worry about me, ⁠mum. The rescuers are here. I’m safe now.”

Bongkawong said Friday evening that the search for the remaining two missing individuals would continue Saturday.

The specialist Thai volunteers leading the search effort include a ‌diver who took part ⁠in the famous 2018 rescue of 12 boys and ⁠their soccer coach from a flooded cave in northern Thailand.