XAISOMBOUN, LAOS - MAY 29: In this handout image provided by the Metta Tham Kalasin Rescue Unit, specialist divers work to rescue a group of seven Lao nationals trapped in a cave on May 29, 2026 in Xaisomboun, Laos. Seven Lao nationals had entered the cave to search for gold, but their exit was blocked due to weather, trapping them for over a week. (Photo by Metta Tham Kalasin Rescue Unit via Getty Images)
Four men trapped inside a flooded cave in Laos for 10 days have been rescued in a dramatic operation.
Videos by Wide Open Country
The successful rescue came just one day after a fifth man was freed from the same cave system, according to Thai authorities.
The five survivors were part of a group of seven villagers who entered the tunnels. While five have now been found alive, two men remain missing.
Cave Rescue Brings Five Villagers to Safety After 10-Day Ordeal
According to the BBC, the group entered the narrow cave system in search of gold.
However, flash floods swept through the area on May 20, trapping them deep underground.
The incident occurred in the remote mountainous region of Xaysomboun Province.
Parts of the cave system extend far below the surface, with some passages measuring just 50 centimeters (20 inches) wide.
A post shared by the Thailand Rescue Diver Facebook page confirmed that the four men were rescued at approximately 3:10 p.m. local time on Saturday.
Authorities have yet to reveal specific details about how the men were brought to safety.
A video obtained by CNN showed the survivors emerging from the cave. They were alongside rescuers as loud cheers from onlookers gathered at the scene could be heard.
Videos show the dramatic moments as four Laos villagers emerge from the flooded cave after being trapped for more than a week. They walked and crawled out on their own as rescuers were preparing to enter the cave, according to Bounkham Luanglath of the Lao People's Volunteer? pic.twitter.com/qBPD19copm
— CNN (@CNN)
Search Continues for Two Villagers Still Missing
Bounkham Luanglath of the Lao People's Volunteer Association said the four men "walked and crawled" out of the cave system on their own while rescuers were preparing to enter.
Footage later showed the survivors lying on stretchers under foil blankets while receiving medical treatment and assessments from emergency crews.
Rescue teams had initially hoped to pump floodwater from the cave to reach the trapped villagers.
When that strategy proved unsuccessful, officials began considering an alternative plan that would have involved teaching the men basic scuba diving skills so they could swim out.
Specialist cave divers from countries including Thailand, Indonesia, France, and Australia traveled to Laos to assist with the operation.
CNN reports that authorities are now discussing whether to resume active search efforts for the two remaining missing villagers.
The president of the Lao People's Volunteer Association said he remains optimistic.
He stated that he is "fairly confident" the two men are still alive, "because there are no signs of death and there is no foul or stale odor, which is a positive sign."
The rescue has drawn comparisons to the famous 2018 cave rescue in Thailand, when a youth soccer team spent 18 days trapped underground.
