Image from the flooded cave: Several men were trapped for ten days.Image: keystone
May 30, 2026, 3:16 p.mMay 30, 2026, 3:16 p.m
The joy in Laos knows no bounds: the four remaining gold prospectors, who had been trapped in a flooded cave for around ten days, are free. Australian cave diver Josh Richards, who was involved in the rescue mission, told the German Press Agency that they managed to reach the exit on their own in the afternoon (local time).
This means that all five gold seekers who were discovered alive in the cave in the remote province of Xaisomboun are now safe. A first man had already been rescued on Friday evening. The group was discovered by rescue teams on Wednesday in a chamber hundreds of meters from the entrance.
Since then, specialists from all over the world have been working on plans for the complicated rescue through extremely narrow tunnels and flooded passages. There is still no trace of two other men who were elsewhere in the cave.
“An end that no one saw coming”
A video available to the dpa showed how the men gradually climbed out of the mountain to the cheers of the rescue workers. A reporter from the US broadcaster CNN spoke of a “breathtaking outcome” to the drama. “An end that no one saw coming,” he cheered.
How exactly they managed to pass through the narrow passages marked by sharp rock was initially unclear. Videos from the rescuers had repeatedly shown how experts crawled through the tunnels and only made progress an inch at a time.
Water level had dropped
“They did it all by themselves – we were pumping out water and in front of the cave,” Richards said. “I was just about to go back into the cave when they suddenly came out.” Apparently the water level in the cave had now dropped so much that the gold seekers no longer had to dive. “Then they just went for it,” said CNN reporter Will Ripley, who is on site.
The sometimes very high water levels of the last few days were considered one of the biggest obstacles to the rescue mission, as the men had no experience with diving equipment. The water was also extremely cloudy and ice cold. Another problem was the lack of oxygen: the air in the chamber and in the narrow tunnels was reportedly very bad.
That morning, Richards told the dpa that the risk of further rescue attempts was too high. The dangers would first have to be contained before attempts could be made to rescue the other men. Instead, a few hours later, they appeared unexpectedly at the cave entrance to loud screams of joy from the emergency services.
Health problems caused by persistent moisture
The four prospectors were taken to ambulances on stretchers and are now being medically examined. Rescue workers had previously reported that some of those trapped suffered from skin problems due to the constant humidity as well as stomach and intestinal problems. The men had warned days ago in messages to their relatives that they would not be able to survive in the chamber much longer. It was not immediately known how they were doing.
Despite the happy outcome for the five survivors, the rescue mission is not yet over. Two men remain missing. According to their own statements, the emergency services have already searched most of the extensive cave system, but have not yet found any trace of the missing people. The hope of finding her alive is considered slim. (sda/dpa)