Seven people have been trapped for five days inside a flooded cave in central Laos, where rescuers on Monday kept pumping water from narrow passageways and tried to reach a group they believe is sheltering farther inside the complex. The flooded cave laos rescue operation moved forward slowly after heavy rain and landslides blocked the entrance last week.
The group entered a cave in Xaysomboun province on Wednesday to hunt for wildlife and search for gold, according to reports, and has not been heard from since. Thai volunteer rescue groups released footage showing rescuers crawling and climbing through dark, narrow passages, some of them almost completely inundated with muddy water, while a tunnel leading into the cave was only 60cm tall. Those inside were fitting rope for rescuers to follow, and teams had reached a point 40 metres away from where they suspected the trapped group may be sheltering.
Kengkard Bongkawong, one of the rescuers, said the route itself was manageable, but the space made every movement difficult. He said the passage was so narrow that workers had to crawl and tilt their bodies to get through, while sharp rocks made the approach more dangerous. He also said he was confident the group was still alive because there was still air in the cave. Another rescuer, Jakkrit Taengtang, said the operation depended on the rain and that teams had to pull back earlier when water levels rose inside the cave.
The operation took a further hit on Sunday night when persistent rain brought sediment into the passageways and blocked access. Rescuers then had to retreat, leaving them a short distance from the suspected shelter area but unable to go farther. On Monday, Mikko Paasi and Norrased Palasing joined rescue workers in Laos, and teams continued working at the site despite the difficult access.
Getting to the cave complex itself required a 5km hike through mountainous terrain, and some rescuers stayed overnight because of how hard it was to reach. The work inside is being measured against the 2018 Tham Luang cave rescue in Thailand, when 12 young footballers and their coach were brought out after more than two weeks underground, though the Laos case is smaller and more remote and has unfolded under far tougher visibility conditions.
What happens next depends on the weather and on whether pumping water can keep pace with the rain long enough for crews to clear the sediment and move deeper into the cave. The trapped group may also face questions if they are found, because it is not clear whether they were searching for gold ore as part of small-scale artisanal activity or working for a mining company. Laos has seen alluvial mining expand in recent years, with research by the Stimson Center suggesting almost 200 alluvial mines opened between 2023 and 2025, even after the government announced a ban on any new permits for alluvial gold mining last year because of environmental concerns.
