Individuals from the village who were trapped within a cave filled with water are featured in a video from Xaisomboun province, Laos, dated May 27, 2026.Benz Norrased Palasing Seascout via AP
Emergency personnel, who have been working relentlessly to recover two villagers still confined within a Laos cave, are awaiting the arrival of extra divers prior to endeavoring to navigate the restricted areas in an effort to locate the pair.
Por Parasu Komaradat, the individual coordinating the recovery efforts, informed ABC News on Thursday that a contingent of six divers from international locations, including Japan and France, are scheduled to arrive Friday to lend assistance to their undertaking.
Individuals from the village who were trapped within a cave filled with water are featured in a video from Xaisomboun province, Laos, dated May 27, 2026.Benz Norrased Palasing Seascout via AP
While the exploration for the missing inhabitants will proceed throughout Thursday night, the coordinator indicated that a revised tactical strategy is required for the concluding phases, given the caves’ constricting dimensions necessitating “slimmer” divers capable of traversing between chambers.
Laotian and Thai recovery teams engaged in the operation disclosed that a cluster of locals residing in the Xaisomboun province of central Laos ventured into the cave on May 19 with the intention of prospecting for gold.
Thai rescuers emerge from a flooded cave during a mission to rescue seven Laotians trapped in a flooded cave in Xaysomboun province, Laos, May 27, 2026.Metta Tham Kalasin Rescue Handou/EPA/Shutterstock
Intense precipitation induced sudden flooding, obstructing the means of egress before one of the villagers managed to escape and notify the authorities, according to the Associated Press.
On Wednesday, five villagers were discovered and extricated from the cave.
ABC News' Morgan Winsor and David Brennan contributed to this report.
Sourse: abcnews.go.com