Laos Cave Rescue Operation Suspended for Final Two Missing Hunters Due to Dangerous Conditions

Search and rescue teams in Laos have suspended their hunt for two men missing in a semi-submerged cave, a week after successfully extracting five others trapped since mid-May.

The rescue effort was halted on Saturday, ending attempts to locate the final two individuals trapped in the cave system on May 20 while hunting bats and searching for gold.

Divers extracted one survivor on May 29, with four additional individuals guided to safety the following day after floodwaters were pumped from the submerged cavern.

Despite contributions from international teams including Malaysia, France, Finland, Indonesia, Japan, and Australia, rescuers were unable to locate the two remaining men.

Malaysian cave diver Lee Kian Lie told AFP that the operation came close to success, noting the water levels were manageable but warning the cave entrance had become unstable.

Continuing rescue efforts posed significant danger, he said, adding that teams would maintain water management through pumping and digging at possible outflow points.

“Perhaps a miracle will happen,” Lee said.

Thai rescue coordinator Kengkad Bongkawong announced via Facebook that entry into the cave is now prohibited due to extreme hazards, though exterior pumping operations will persist.

While the missing individuals’ condition remains unknown, reducing water levels inside the cave represents the best course of action, according to Kengkad.

Food supplies have been strategically placed at multiple locations along the cave system in hopes the missing men can reach them.

Rising rainfall has further complicated conditions, shrinking the cave’s vertical clearance to roughly 30cm (12 inches) — half of what rescue workers encountered in earlier phases.

“The rain will become progressively heavier starting today,” Kengkad warned.

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