Divers who took part in the dramatic rescue of a Thai football team in 2018 have joined efforts to free seven people trapped for five days in a flooded cave in central Laos. The group entered the cave in Xaysomboun province on Wednesday to hunt for wildlife and search for gold, but heavy rain caused landslides that blocked the entrance.
Footage released by Thai volunteer rescue groups shows personnel crawling through dark, narrow passageways, some almost completely filled with muddy water. Rescuers said a tunnel leading into the cave was only 60cm tall. Experts outside are pumping water out, while those inside are fitting rope for rescuers to follow.
Kengkard Bongkawong, head of operations for Metta Tham Rescue, said the route is not complicated but the space is extremely narrow, requiring crawling and tilting to pass through sharp rocks. He noted that rescuers have not received any signs of life but believe the men are still alive, as a survivor who escaped indicated a location deeper inside that is above water level.
Rescuers reached a point 40 metres from where the group may be sheltering but were unable to continue on Sunday night due to sediment blocking the passage. Kengkard said the gap is only 50cm wide and requires clearing sediment before proceeding. Finnish diver Mikko Paasi and Thai diver Norrased Palasing, both veterans of the Tham Luang rescue, joined the effort on Monday.
The operation involves a 5km hike up mountainous terrain. Jakkrit Taengtang, a Thai rescue technician, said the difficulty depends on rain, as rising water levels forced a retreat earlier. It is unclear whether the trapped group were searching for gold ore as part of small-scale artisanal activity or working for a mining company.
