5 Laos villagers freed from flooded cave after 10 days, 2 still missing
After a 10-day ordeal, five men emerge weak and dazed—two more remain trapped.
Five villagers trapped deep in a flooded cave in central Xaysomboun province, Laos, have been freed after a 10-day underground ordeal. The rescue operation relied on expert cave divers racing against time to guide the group through flooded passages before fresh rains could further complicate the mission. On Saturday afternoon, four of the men emerged thin, muddied, and dazed to an outpouring of emotion from rescuers and relatives. They were quickly wrapped in foil blankets to regulate their body temperature after days in the damp, cold cave. A fifth man was freed overnight. The Thailand Rescue Diver Facebook page confirmed the rescues, stating, "Five people have now been rescued, while two remain missing."
However, two other villagers remain missing in the cave complex, feared to have gone a few hundred metres further into the cave when they became trapped. So far, there has been no contact with the two men, and time is running out to reach them with food, water, and warmth in the cold cave chambers. The operation echoes similar high-risk cave rescues in the region, highlighting the dangers of exploring caves during monsoon season. Rescuers are working urgently as fresh rains threaten to flood the passages further, complicating any potential retrieval of the missing pair.
- Five villagers rescued after 10 days trapped in flooded Laos cave; four emerged Saturday and one overnight.
- Men were weak, muddied, and wrapped in foil blankets to regulate body temperature after cold, damp conditions.
- Two others remain missing, feared to have gone deeper into the cave; no contact has been established.
Why It Matters
Highlights dangers of cave exploration during monsoon season and challenges of remote rescue operations in Southeast Asia.