Rescue Frees Five Miners After Week‑Long Entrapment in Flooded Lao Cave

Rescuers announced that four additional miners, trapped for over a week in a Lao cave, were freed on Saturday, bringing the total number of survivors to five.

Rescue teams continue to search for the two remaining miners deeper within the cavern.

The miners entered the Xaysomboun Province’s central cave in search of gold, only to become trapped when heavy rains flooded the passageways.

The four miners emerged from the cave at approximately 3 p.m. local time on Saturday after rescuers pumped out enough water to allow their escape. A video posted by Mr. Paasi captured the rescue team applauding as the men exited; one of them was seen sobbing while embracing a fellow miner.

“I feel relieved,” Mr. Paasi said in an interview shortly after the rescue. “We did everything possible, and it has been an extremely demanding week.”

The group originally intended to remain in the cave for several days with supplies. After heavy rain flooded the cave and blocked the exit with gravel and dirt, they were trapped. On Wednesday, rescue divers located five of the miners huddled together in a chamber roughly 1,000 feet from the entrance.

The first miner was rescued on Friday, when the tunnels were less water‑filled, Mr. Paasi explained. He received diving equipment and was guided out. Rescuers chose to pump out water to reduce hazards, though they had contemplated extracting all five miners by diving as a final option.

“We eventually lowered the water level enough for them to crawl out,” Mr. Paasi said. “That was the safest outcome we could have hoped for.”

Rescue diver Kengkard Bongkawong compared navigating the tunnels to crawling through a drinking straw. The rescuers, who also participated in the 2018 rescue of a youth soccer team trapped in a Thai cave, have been closely watching the monsoon forecast in Laos, wary of additional heavy rain.

Although the miners have not been officially identified, they are reported to be in good health and will be transferred to a hospital. While inside the cave, divers administered energy gels, electrolyte solutions, and rice water during their check‑ins.

Mr. Paasi indicated that rescuers will continue searching for the two missing miners. Although the cave has been thoroughly examined, they remain hopeful that the two may still be found. “There is a narrow tunnel they could be in, and we will investigate it shortly,” he added.

Family members, including children, of the two still‑missing miners are gathered outside the cave awaiting news, according to a post by Mr. Kengkard on social media.

Francesca Regalado and Muktita Suhartono contributed reporting.

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