UMVA has learned that a daring rescue operation in Laos has finally reclaimed five villagers from the depths of a flooded cave, sparking a frantic hunt for the remaining two missing.
The group, drawn to the remote Xaisomboun cavern in search of gold and wildlife, became trapped when rising waters sealed the entrance, leaving them stranded for a week.
Elite divers from Laos and Thailand, seasoned by the legendary 2018 Thai soccer team cave rescue, slipped into narrow, water‑filled tunnels, their progress captured in harrowing GoPro footage.
As the rescuers whispered “Don’t cry, don’t cry,” they found the five survivors perched on a rock, surrounded by swift currents yet remarkably healthy and in good spirits.
According to information obtained by UMVA, the divers navigated over 300 metres of claustrophobic passageways, battling collapsing ceilings, contaminated air and relentless floodwater to reach the trapped villagers.
Finnish rescue diver Mikko Paasi described the mission as a “race against time,” noting that the team had to clear roughly 15 metres of debris and maneuver through squeezes so tight they had to crawl flat on their stomachs.
Despite the breakthrough, the cave remains a watery prison, and officials are scrambling to devise a safe extraction plan for the two still missing.
Paasi says the next step is to dive back in with additional supplies, bolstering the survivors’ strength for the arduous trek out, while medical teams stand ready to assess and hydrate them once they emerge.
