Five gold seekers evacuated from flooded Laos cave, two missing

Rescue teams evacuated five of seven Lao residents trapped in a flooded cave in Xaisomboun Province on Saturday (30/5), after about 10 days inside while searching for gold. One person was brought out a day earlier, and four others were evacuated on Saturday. Two people remain missing and the search is continuing. Video of the evacuation showed a mud-covered man wearing a headlamp being guided out through the narrow cave entrance. Rescuers said it took about 37 minutes to bring the victims to safety through a narrow passage, partly by underwater diving. Thai cave diver Kengkard Bongkawong said the victims' health had deteriorated while they waited for help. Volunteers from Thailand, France, Indonesia, Japan and Australia joined the operation.