Rescue teams in Laos freed one of seven villagers trapped inside a flooded cave in Xaisomboun province on the night of May 29, after more than ten days underground.
The rescued man, identified in some reports as Muen, was brought out at approximately 8.37pm. He was alive but exhausted, covered in mud. Thai rescue group Metta Tham Rescue Kalasin confirmed the breakthrough on social media, saying the first victim had been successfully pulled from the cave.
The seven men entered the cave around May 19-20, searching for gold deposits in the rugged mountains roughly 120 kilometres north of Vientiane. Heavy rains triggered a flash flood and landslide shortly after, blocking the entrance with debris and trapping them approximately 300 metres inside.
Initial days passed with no contact. Lao authorities, local volunteers, and Thai rescue teams, including divers experienced from the 2018 Tham Luang Nang Non rescue in Thailand, intensified operations. On May 27, divers found five men alive, huddled on a rock in a dark, muddy chamber. Despite exhaustion and hunger, all five were in stable condition with no serious injuries reported. The search for the remaining two continued.
Key Thai rescuer Kengkard Bongkawong, a veteran of the 2018 operation, said the team needed additional oxygen tanks and an on-site refilling station. Divers faced zero visibility, narrow flooded corridors, poor air quality, and rising water levels. Passages were so tight rescuers compared navigating them to moving through a drinking straw.
The cave sits in a remote mountainous area accessible only via muddy roads cut up by the rainy season. Pumping operations have been ongoing, but overnight rains have slowed progress. The five located men required basic diving instruction or guided assistance for extraction, as full scuba evacuation through the tight passages posed significant risks.
As of Friday evening, four of the five known survivors remain inside, with the search for two missing men ongoing. The successful extraction of one man has confirmed the rescue method works and boosted morale among the more than 100 rescuers on site. Teams planned a short rest before resuming, with additional specialist divers on the way.
Lao meteorology officials have forecast continued rain, threatening to raise water levels and narrow the window for further extractions. Laos and Thailand are coordinating on safety protocols, drawing on lessons from 2018. The families of the trapped men have expressed gratitude to the multinational teams, with one father publicly thanking the rescuers, reported The Pattaya News.
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