Rescuers race to save two people still trapped in cave in Laos | Floods News
Rescuers Confront Challenges in Search for Missing Miners in Laos Cave
Xaysomboun Province, Laos — May 31, 2026 — Heavy rainfall has hampered search efforts for two individuals trapped in a flooded cave in central Laos. The two have been missing for over a week, while five others were successfully rescued earlier this week.
Mikko Paasi, a Finnish diver among the first international responders to arrive at the scene, reported that Sunday’s downpour raised water levels in the cave to the second chamber, complicating diving operations. “We cannot enter the cave until the water level recedes,” he said, noting that equipment failures have further complicated the rescue efforts. A malfunctioning drainage pump has also caused setbacks, as noted by fellow diver Yoshitaka Isaji from Japan.
Rescue teams composed of personnel from Laos and neighboring Thailand have been collaborating alongside divers from several countries, including Finland, Malaysia, Japan, Indonesia, France, and Australia.
According to local media reports, seven individuals entered the cave in the remote, mountainous area of Xaysomboun province last week in search of valuable minerals such as gold. They became trapped when a flash flood blocked their exit. One individual managed to escape and alerted authorities.
On Sunday, a Laotian rescue group announced it had acquired “substantial” information regarding the cave system from the five previously rescued men. “We hope today’s mission will locate both remaining victims,” the group wrote on social media.
The five rescued individuals are currently receiving treatment at a local hospital and are reportedly in stable condition, according to Malaysian diver Lee Kian Lie, who is part of the operation. “We interviewed them about the cave’s deeper parts,” he said, expressing optimism about finding the remaining missing miners.
Rescue teams have navigated over 200 meters (approximately 650 feet) into the cave system and have identified five chambers. The survivors were located in the fifth chamber and reported a narrow crack that could potentially lead to a deeper section of the cave, where the missing individuals might be located.
“The survivors indicated this was an area we hadn’t explored yet, which could be where the two lost miners are,” Paasi said.
The five men rescued previously, identified by their first names as Khamla, Mued, Ee, Ing, and Laen, were discovered last Wednesday. The first individual was extracted on Friday by an expert diver, followed by the remaining four who managed to walk out independently after water levels receded on Saturday.
Videos shared online captured emotional moments as the men emerged from the cave, some collapsing in exhaustion as they were embraced by rescue workers. Later footage depicted them lying on stretchers, covered in foil blankets and fitted with oxygen masks before transport.
Rescue operations continue as teams strive to locate the two remaining miners.
