What Happened Inside This Flooded Cave Has Captivated Thousands

Rescue workers in Laos said Saturday they have safely evacuated four villagers trapped in a flooded cave for 10 days, the day after another one was successfully extracted.

Lao and Thai rescue groups posted about the successful operation on social media, along with photos of the men lying on stretchers, wearing oxygen masks and being wrapped in foil blankets.

The villagers had reportedly entered the cave last week to look for valuable minerals before being trapped by flash flooding that blocked their way out.

One other villager escaped in time and alerted the authorities to the seven left behind.

Lao organisation Rescue Volunteer for People said on its Facebook page that the water level inside the cave receded low enough for them to leave with divers who had gone in to deliver food and water.

They said they will continue their search for the two who remain missing.

Laos cave rescue
This image provided by the Association Of Volunteers For Lao People, shows rescuers after they safely evacuated the villagers, who had been trapped in a cave in Xaisomboun province, Laos, Saturday, May 30 , 2026

The first man was safely evacuated on Friday. According to rescuers, that operation took about 30 minutes.

Videos showed the moment he emerged from the water alongside a diver, catching his breath before struggling to crawl through a narrow, flooded passage and rising unsteadily to his feet.

As rescuers helped him away from the tunnel, one could be heard warning others to be careful because his hands were injured. He was then wrapped in a foil blanket and helped into a seated position.

Another video showed the man getting out from the cave’s entrance with a lamp strapped to his forehead.

Laos cave rescue
This video grab provided by the Association Of Volunteers For Lao People, shows rescuers evacuating the first of five villagers, center, who had been trapped in a cave in Xaisomboun province, Laos, Friday, May 29, 2026

He was walking unsteadily with the assistance of two men, who handed him over to other team members amid a waiting crowd.

The villagers had reportedly entered the cave last week to look for valuable minerals before being trapped by flash flooding that blocked their way out. One other villager escaped in time and alerted the authorities to the seven left behind.

Five of them were found alive on Wednesday. They were identified by their first names as Khamla, Mued, Ee, Ing and Laen.

The men had been supplied with water, soft food and foil blankets to keep them warm, although videos shot inside the cave suggested that their conditions continued to deteriorate.

Laos cave rescue
This image released by Metta Tham Rescue Kalasin, Rescuers evacuate the first of five villagers, center, who had been trapped in a cave in Xaisomboun province, Laos, Friday, May 29, 2026 (Metta Tham Rescue Kalasin via AP)

Rescue teams from Laos and neighboring Thailand were joined by Japanese and Malaysian colleagues. Indonesian, French and Australian specialists also reportedly arrived at the site in a rugged area in the central province of Xaisomboun, about 120 kilometers north of the capital, Vientiane.

Several of them had taken part in the complicated 2018 cave rescue in northern Thailand of 12 schoolboys and their soccer coach.

More risky tasks await rescuers

In a video shot on Friday, just about an hour before the evacuation of the first man began, Thai rescuer Kengkaj Bongkawong of the Metta Tham Rescue Kalasin detailed the challenge they are facing in the operation.

The team has set up a station in a large chamber inside the cave, accessible only by navigating more than 200 meters of twisting, narrow, flooded passages with jagged walls.

From there, divers need to dive through a flooded tunnel about 30 meters before reaching the trapped men.

“To dive in a cave, there are issues with the temperature, narrow areas, control of movement, and managing the panic of the survivor, which will be difficult, but we have to do it,” Kengkaj said.

Laos cave rescue
This image made from the video provided by Benz Norrased Palasing Seascout Diving shows rescuers speaking to the villagers who were trapped and found in a flooded cave in Xaisomboun province, Laos, Wednesday, May 27, 2026

There is a significant risk for the team of guiding the survivors without diving skills through zero-visibility water.

A video showed Thai diver Norrased Palasing and Finnish diver Mikko Paasi teaching the men how to use diving gear, including breathing techniques underwater.

“All the way, breathe through your mouth only. Do not ever breathe with your nose, do you understand?” Norrased said during the session.

Rescuers are also preparing to search for the two villagers who remain missing.

Kengkaj said the team plans to explore an area deeper inside the cave, about 20 to 25 meters beyond where the survivors were found. However, he cautioned that the section is heavily flooded.

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