Rescuers have freed four more villagers trapped inside a flooded cave in Laos, bringing the total number of survivors rescued to five.
The four men were brought to safety on Saturday after spending 10 days trapped inside a narrow cave system. Thai rescue teams confirmed the successful operation, which came a day after another survivor was rescued.
The men were part of a group of seven villagers who entered the cave in Xaysomboun province on 20 May in search of gold. Heavy flooding cut off their escape route, leaving them stranded deep underground. Two members of the group remain missing.
Videos shared by rescuers showed emotional scenes as the men emerged from the cave, greeted by cheers from rescue teams and local residents. The survivors were taken to a temporary medical facility for treatment and assessment.
The rescue effort attracted international attention, with specialist divers from countries including Thailand, Australia, France and Indonesia joining the operation. This came after initial plans to drain the flooded cave proved unsuccessful.
Rescue teams are continuing the search for the two missing villagers as rescue operations enters its next phase.
READ ALSO: https://alo360.net/laos-cave-rescue-five-found-alive/
