Image source, Reuters
Thai rescuers have confirmed the safe rescue of four men trapped inside a flooded cave in Laos for 10 days. One person was also rescued on Friday from the same cave.
On May 20, the men had entered a narrow tunnel in a remote mountainous area of Xaisomboun province searching for gold, when sudden flooding trapped them inside the cave.
A total of seven Laotian citizens were stranded in the cave.
Rescuers found five alive on Wednesday, while the status of two others remains unknown.
Thai rescue divers announced on their Facebook page that at approximately 3:10 p.m. local time on Saturday, the four men were successfully rescued.
Details regarding how the men were safely removed to a secure location have not yet been revealed.
Emotional Moment
Image source, EPA
An unofficial video posted on the Thai rescuers’ social media shows the four men slowly emerging from the cave while those waiting outside cheer with joy.
One man was seen smiling as he was taken to a temporary medical tent.
The other three appeared emotional and embraced rescuers warmly.
One individual was seen crying while hugging a miner who was trapped earlier.
The four men were covered with foil blankets and placed on stretchers for health assessments.
Difficult Rescue
Image source, EPA
Divers involved in the rescue found five survivors in difficult conditions about 300 meters inside the cave on Wednesday.
The cave system extends underground with very narrow and intricate tunnels.
According to rescuers, some chambers are only about 50 centimeters wide.
The rescue is taking place in a remote mountainous area with limited time due to weather conditions.
On Friday evening, there was a forecast for thunderstorms, rain, and storms covering 60% of the region.
Footage from Wednesday showed five men trapped in the mud appearing weak; rescuers noted they complained of chest pain and hunger.
What Was Done?
Experts initially planned to pump floodwaters out of the cave, but the water complicated the situation.
After this plan failed, the final option involved teaching the trapped individuals scuba diving and swimming techniques to evacuate them from the cave.
Details about the safe transfer of those rescued to a secure location have not been disclosed yet.
This operation has highlighted the capabilities of the international diving community.
Specialist divers from Thailand, Indonesia, France, and Australia have come to assist.
The rescue effort has been compared to the 2018 event when a Thai youth football team was trapped in a cave for 18 days.
Finnish diver Mikko Paasi is active in both that rescue and the ongoing emergency aid in Laos.
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