7 trapped in Laos cave during gold search, 5 found safe

Seven Laotian citizens were trapped in a cave in Xaysomboun province, submerged by floods for a week. Five of them were successfully found safe by Laos and Thailand rescue teams.

“We have found five survivors, all safe. Two others are still being searched for,” a Laotian volunteer rescue group said in a social media post.

“At 4.30pm, we located our targets. We found five people. We are still searching for the other two,” added Thai rescuer Kengkach Bangkawong in a Facebook post.

The seven entered the cave on 20 May while searching for gold but became trapped after heavy rain triggered flash floods, blocking their exit.

Lao Economic Daily also reported that five victims had been found safe.

Finnish diving specialist Mikko Paasi said rescue teams were racing against time to extract the seven from the abandoned gold mine cave.

“Rescuers must navigate hundreds of yards of constant obstacles, floodwater, collapse risks, and high chances of contaminated air quality inside the cave,” Paasi said in a social media post.

“The seven were likely trapped in a terminal chamber about 300 metres from the entrance,” he added.

“They entered the cave with resources to survive underground for several days,” Paasi stated.

Paasi, who helped rescue the Thai youth football team from the flooded Tham Luang cave in 2018, arrived in Laos on Monday with two Thai specialists involved in the 2018 operation.

Lao Economic Daily reported on Wednesday morning that water levels in the cave had significantly receded and rescuers were continuing to pump out water.

Laotian rescuers, local officials, and villagers gathered outside the cave before rescue operations resumed on Wednesday for a traditional spiritual ceremony, offering chickens and rice wine to sacred spirits believed to protect the mountain and rescuers.