Rescuers evacuate the first of 5 villagers found trapped in a cave in Laos; 2 still missing

Rescue divers in Laos evacuated the first of five villagers trapped in a flooded cave for more than a week. Lao and Thai rescue workers shared the evacuation on social media, including video of the rescued villager walking with assistance and receiving a medical check. The five were located on Wednesday, leaving rescuers to extract them and locate two additional missing villagers. Rescue teams pumped water from cave passages on Friday, but an overnight rainstorm complicated operations. The trapped men received water, soft food, and foil blankets to stay warm. The villagers entered the cave to search for valuable minerals and were trapped by flash flooding after one villager escaped and alerted authorities.

"Rescue divers in Laos on Friday night safely evacuated the first of five local villagers who had been trapped in a cave for more than a week by floodwaters. Lao and Thai rescue workers posted the news on social media, along with a video showing the first rescued villager with a lamp strapped to his forehead. The villager, who was not immediately identified, was walking unsteadily with the assistance of two men. They handed him over to other team members amid a waiting crowd for a medical check."

"Rescue teams had pumped water out of the flooded cave's passages on Friday, but an overnight rainstorm complicated their work. The trapped men have already been supplied with water, soft food, and foil blankets to keep them warm. The villagers had reportedly entered the cave last week to look for valuable minerals before being trapped by flash flooding that blocked their way out."

"Rescuers working at a flooded cave in the Southeast Asian nation of Laos face two daunting tasks: extricating five villagers who were located inside after being trapped for more than a week, and finding two more who are still missing. The five had been found by divers on Wednesday, but that left rescue workers with two serious tasks: extricating the five and finding two more who are still missing."

"One other villager escaped in time and alerted the authorities to the seven left behind. It was not clear if more evacuations would be attempted Friday night. Rescue teams were pumping water out of the flooded cave's passages on Friday, but an overnight rainstorm complicated their work."

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