Arabic version: عملية إنقاذ ناجحة تحرر أربعة رجال من كهف لاوس

According to BBC News,

Four men who were trapped inside a flooded cave in Laos for 10 days have been freed, Thai rescuers say – a day after another man was rescued. They are among seven villagers who entered the narrow tunnels in search for gold but were cut off inside the cave in the remote mountain area of central Xaysomboun province after flash floods hit on 20 May.

Rescue efforts were complicated by the cave’s narrow and deep structure, with some chambers measuring only about 50cm (20in) wide. As of now, two men remain missing. The four men were successfully freed at about 15:10 local time (08:10 GMT) on Saturday, although the specifics of their extraction have not been disclosed.

An unverified video shared by a Thai rescue worker showed the emotional moment as the men emerged from the cave, greeted by cheers from rescuers and onlookers. One man was seen smiling while being taken to a makeshift medical tent, while the others embraced their rescuers tearfully.

Initially, rescuers had planned to pump out the floodwaters obstructing the men’s escape. However, when that strategy failed, they considered teaching the trapped individuals how to scuba dive. The international diving community has been closely following the situation, with additional specialists from countries such as Thailand, Indonesia, France, and Australia arriving to assist in the rescue efforts.