Five People Found Alive in Laos After a Week Trapped in a Flooded Cave

Rescuers in Laos said Wednesday that five of seven people trapped for a week in a flooded cave system are alive, while two others remain missing. The update came from both Lao and Thai rescue teams after a difficult search in an abandoned gold mine in Xaysomboun province, northeast of the capital, Vientiane.

The seven villagers were caught by a sudden rise in water after going into the cave on May 20 to search for gold. Since then, they had not been heard from, raising fears about their condition. On Wednesday, rescuers reported a major breakthrough when they reached the trapped group and found five survivors. A Lao rescue association said the team had “found five people alive and safe” and was continuing to search for the remaining two, while Thai rescuer Kengkach Bangkawong said the target had been reached at 4:30 p.m. local time and that five people had been found.

Specialized diver Mikko Paasi, a Finnish rescuer who took part in the widely followed 2018 cave rescue of the Thai youth soccer team, had said earlier on Wednesday that he remained hopeful the missing villagers would be found alive. He noted that the group had entered the mine with enough supplies to survive for several days underground. Paasi described the rescue environment as extremely remote and hostile, adding that the site was an abandoned gold mine.

According to rescuers, the trapped villagers are believed to be in a chamber about 300 meters from the cave entrance. The operation has been complicated by flooding, the risk of collapse, and low oxygen levels, all of which have slowed progress and made the mission dangerous for rescue teams.

The discovery of survivors brought relief to rescue workers after days of uncertainty. Video posted on social media showed members of the rescue effort celebrating and embracing after confirming that five people were alive. The search for the remaining two continued as teams worked through the hazardous underground conditions.

The incident highlights the risks faced by people entering abandoned mines and flooded caves in remote areas of Laos, where sudden weather changes and rising waters can quickly trap people underground. Rescue efforts remain ongoing as officials continue to focus on reaching the last two missing villagers and bringing all of the survivors safely out of the cave.