Cave rescue in Laos

Joy at the cave in Laos: “The first one is out”

One of the five men who have been stuck in a cave in Laos for more than a week has been rescued, writes The Guardian.

Rescue workers have published a film showing the unidentified man covered in mud.

“The first one is out,” writes one of the rescue workers in a post on Facebook.

The man is said to be unharmed but has been handed over to doctors for examination. The evacuation of the other four has been postponed until Saturday because rain has complicated the operation, writes AFP.

Seven people entered the cave and on Wednesday it was announced that five of them had been found.

Cave rescue in Laos — the case

• Seven people were trapped in a cave in Xaisomboun province in Laos after heavy rains and a landslide in late May.
• The group had entered the cave to look for gold, but rising water levels prevented them from getting out.
• After a week, rescue workers found five of the seven alive, sitting on a cliff above the water level, while two people were still missing.
• The rescue operation has been difficult due to narrow passages, low oxygen levels and the risk of further rain, and international experts from Thailand, among others, have participated.
• The five survivors have been able to send video greetings to relatives, but getting them out of the cave is still described as a dangerous challenge.