A rescue team is making significant progress toward reaching seven people trapped for days in a cave in Laos after heavy rain triggered a landslide. The group entered the cave in Xaysomboun province on May 20 seeking gold, according to local reports.
Key Takeaways
A Thai rescue team is making progress toward reaching seven people trapped in a flooded cave in Laos after heavy rains triggered landslides. The group entered the cave seeking gold and has been trapped since May 20.
- Rescue team breaks through obstacles, nears chamber with trapped individuals
- Thai experts, including divers from the 2018 Tham Luang rescue, lead efforts
- Rescuers pump water continuously as rising floodwaters complicate access
- Cave passages are extremely narrow and hazardous to navigate
The Thai rescue team, which includes experts from the dramatic 2018 Tham Luang cave rescue that captured global attention, reported breaking through obstacles and edging closer to the chamber where the group is trapped. Kengkard Bongkawong, head of the Thai team, expressed confidence in their progress.
Rescuers are working alongside a local group, Laos Rescue Volunteer for People, to pump water out of the cave system day and night. The team has identified potential shafts that could provide additional routes for the rescue operation. Footage shared by rescue groups shows rescuers navigating narrow, muddy passageways deep into the flooded cave.
The cave is frequented by villagers looking for gold deposits, with some chambers measuring only about 50cm (20in) wide. The team includes a diver involved in the 17-day rescue at a flooded mountain cave in Thailand in 2018, which drew intense global attention and involved more than 10,000 experts from around the world.
As of Tuesday, rescuers reported finding pockets of air within the cave system. Kengkard Bongkawong noted that while water levels are still rising due to torrential rain, they continue to pump water out continuously and secure ropes inside for navigation. The rescue team faces challenges navigating extremely narrow spaces where they must crawl and tilt to pass through sharp rocks.
The Metta Tham Rescue team has been joined by Finnish diver Mikko Paasi and Thai cave diver Norrased Palasing, both veterans of the 2018 Tham Luang cave rescue. The operation involves a coordinated effort with international expertise similar to the massive 2018 rescue that captured worldwide attention.
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