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Five Men Found Alive Deep Inside Flooded Laos Cave; Extraction Remains Hazardous

Rescuers say narrow, oxygen-poor passages with pockets of toxic gas require prolonged pumping and specialized equipment before the men can be brought out.

Overview

  • Rescue divers located five men alive on an elevated ledge deep inside Long Chaeng cave after heavy rains flooded the system, and teams delivered food and basic medical care to the survivors.
  • The men report severe hunger and weakness but no obvious illness, and rescuers confirmed their identities and filmed short messages sent to family members.
  • Extraction has not begun because the route is single‑direction, often barely 58–60 cm wide, partly flooded and has low oxygen levels with pockets of hydrogen sulfide that have made passage dangerous.
  • Teams are pumping water, digging an access route to bring a generator closer, and requesting large oxygen tanks plus cave‑specific stretchers so survivors can exit without diving if water levels fall.
  • Searches continue for two other people believed to have entered the cave earlier, and international cave‑diving experts who worked on the 2018 Tham Luang rescue are assisting the complex operation.