Laos: 5 people stuck in cave for a week found alive

Five people who were trapped for a week in a flooded cave in Laos were found alive on Wednesday, rescuers from Laos and Thailand said.

"We've found 5 people alive and all safe. There are still 2 people we are searching for," Rescue Volunteer for People said on social media.

"I'm still shaking. Our team made it happen," Bounkham Luanglath, who works with the Lao rescue group, told the Associated Press news agency via a voice note.

In a separate post on Facebook, Thai rescuer Kengkach Bangkawong said, "At 4:30 pm, we found our target. We found five people. We are looking for the other two."

What do we know about the people trapped in a cave in Laos?

At least eight people from local villages were searching for gold when the cave's entrance became blocked on May 19 after a landslide triggered by heavy rains and flash floods.

The cave is located in Xaisomboun province, around 125 kilometers (78 miles) northeast of the capital Vientiane. About 100 people have been involved in the rescue operation.

One of the people who was in the group managed to escape the cave before the exit was blocked and alerted authorities, Luanglath told AFP earlier this week.

The rescue effort included Thai experts who aided in the dramatic recovery of a youth soccer team from a flooded cave in 2018.

Diver recounts Thai rescue

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