Thai rescuers join mission to save group trapped in flooded Laos cave

26 May 2026 • 5:06 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

Thai rescuers join mission to save group trapped in flooded Laos cave

  • Rescue crews are attempting to save seven people trapped for six days in a flooded cave in Laos's Xaysomboun province.
  • The group became stranded after entering the remote cave to hunt and search for gold, with heavy rain causing flash flooding and landslides that blocked the entrance.
  • Two Thai divers and a Finnish specialist, all veterans of the 2018 Thai cave rescue, have arrived to assist with the complex operation.
  • Rescuers have not yet made contact with the trapped individuals but believe they are less than 20 metres away, despite facing obstacles like narrow passages, strong water flows, and sand.
  • Operations head Kengkard Bongkawong expressed confidence that the group is still alive, citing the presence of air within the cave system.

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