Rescuers evacuate the first of five villagers who had been trapped in a cave in Xaisomboun province, Laos, May 29, 2026. Association Of Volunteers For Lao People via AP
The quest to find two gold miners presumed lost in a Laos cave has been indefinitely paused, after nearly three weeks since they and five other individuals were reported missing, with the latter group successfully extracted, officials announced.
Specialized diving units from various countries, which had assembled in Laos’ Xaisomboun province where the miners were enveloped by floodwaters from monsoon rains last month, commenced their departure on Sunday, a coordinator for the search operations communicated to ABC News.
The underground cavern system has, according to the coordinator, become too precarious to continue the search efforts safely. The individual overseeing the rescue operations indicated that the likelihood of locating the two remaining miners is now exceedingly slim.
Members of a rescue team work to save seven people trapped in a cave, at a location given as Xaisomboun Province, Laos, in this handout image released May 25, 2026.Metta Tham Kalasin Rescue/via Reuters
Although the subterranean maze’s water levels have been reduced to a manageable point through pumping, the coordinator stated that the cave’s entrance has grown too unstable for rescue personnel to safely proceed with the mission.
A local team dedicated to rescue efforts will persist in removing water from the cave, holding onto the faint possibility of a positive outcome, the coordinator shared.
Approximation of the cave site in Laos based on information from rescuersPhotos: Benz Norrased Palasing Seascout via AP
The search was halted subsequent to explorers investigating a recently uncovered shaft, measuring 196 feet in depth, which they had anticipated would provide access to a cavern where the two missing miners were thought to be. However, no trace of the miners was discovered.
Rescuers evacuate the first of five villagers who had been trapped in a cave in Xaisomboun province, Laos, May 29, 2026.Association Of Volunteers For Lao People via AP
A contingent of seven individuals engaged in illicit gold prospecting entered the cave on May 19 and became stranded when rainfall associated with the monsoon season inundated the cave’s ingress, as reported by rescuers.
The recovery team managed to drain sufficient water from the underground network, enabling four miners to extricate themselves from the mire on May 30, according to official statements. The preceding day, a fifth miner successfully navigated his way out of the cave, employing both swimming and crawling techniques after receiving instruction in scuba diving, rescue personnel stated.
In a discussion with ABC News last week, Josh Richards, an Australian diver participating in the rescue effort, posited that the two miners still unaccounted for could be situated in a sixth cavern, beyond the one where the other five miners were found.
However, Richards noted that some of the miners who were rescued indicated to authorities that their group consisted of only six individuals trapped within the cave, including one who managed to escape at the commencement of the predicament and alerted officials.
Richards proposed a potential scenario wherein eight miners may have entered the cave, with three managing to exit independently and subsequently going into hiding due to the illegality of their mining activities in Laos, which carries penalties.
Sourse: abcnews.go.com