Laotian rescue teams are trying to reach seven people who have been trapped for five days in a flooded cave in the north of the country. The group entered the site on Wednesday (20), in a remote region of the city of Long Gian, and ended up isolated after a flash flood blocked the exit.
According to local authorities and the state press, the missing people had accessed the cave in search of gold when heavy rains hit the region and quickly raised the water level.
The teams believe that the group is sheltering more than 100 meters from the cave’s main entrance. So far, rescuers have not yet been able to establish direct contact with the missing people.
The operation gained international reinforcement in recent days. Specialized divers from Thailand began to participate in the search, including members who worked to rescue young football players trapped in a Thai cave in 2018.
Images released by the Thai submerged rescue group show flooded corridors, low visibility and extremely narrow areas inside the cave. The videos also reveal the difficulty in transporting equipment amidst the current and the constant advance of the water.
According to reports from teams on site, the main obstacle continues to be the intense rain, which keeps the water level high and reduces the chances of quick access to the point where the group may be.
Continues after advertising
Residents of the region and local authorities even used pumps to try to remove part of the accumulated water, but the volume of rain prevented significant progress in the operation.
Until this Monday (25), there was no official confirmation on the health status of the seven people trapped in the cave.
