Overview
- Seven villagers became trapped in a karst cave in Xaisomboun province after flash floods blocked the entrance nearly two weeks ago and one man escaped to raise the alarm.
- Rescuers reached five of the trapped men after an expert diver pulled one out on Friday and four others crawled to safety the next day as pumps lowered water levels.
- Teams reported hearing responding knocking sounds inside a suspected chamber on at least two occasions, which rescuers say could indicate the missing men are nearby but still need verification.
- Search efforts have shifted to a newly discovered vertical shaft that teams rappelled down on Monday to probe a chamber and look for a direct link to where the two missing people may be trapped.
- Operations continue to rely on pumping, satellite and LiDAR mapping, and surface excavation while heavy rain, unstable passages and limited equipment constrain work and shape next steps.