5 miners rescued from Laos cave, 2 still missing
Four more miners trapped in a flooded cave in Laos are now out and in good health, capping an extraordinary rescue effort so far as a total of five have been freed and two are still missing, officials said.
As divers continue their search for the two missing villagers trapped inside a flooded Laos cave, four of them were able to crawl out of the cave under their own volition, authorities said.
"I was literally about to head into the cave myself when all of a sudden we heard all these cheers and spun around, and four very muddy miners just suddenly emerged out of the out of the cave on their own," Australian cave diver Josh Richards who was helping with the rescue operation told ABC News.
While the first survivor was taught to scuba diver in order to make his way to the mouth of the cave, the rescue team was able to pump enough water out for the other four to crawl out on their own.
Richards said the miners squeezed and swam through around 1,000 feet of muddy, pitch-black tunnels before emerging dehydrated, exhausted but alive.
They were immediately treated at the entrance of the cave as rescuers celebrated a remarkable multi-national team effort.
Richards added that it was a miracle they managed to wiggle between extremely narrow, jagged crevices, holding their heads to the ceiling of the cave to make their way out alive.
The man who was rescued on Friday was taken to hospital and is currently recovering, according to officials. His medical examination is still ongoing.
Divers and rescue crews are still working to locate and rescue the other two missing individuals and pull them out to safety.
The evacuation operation paused Friday night and continued Saturday, officials said.
Laos and Thai rescue teams involved in the operation said that a group of villagers in the Xaisomboun province of central Laos went into the cave on May 19 to look for gold.
Heavy rain triggered flash flooding and the exit to the cave was blocked, according to officials.
Divers from around the world flew out to the site to help with the rescue efforts. Officials said the caves are so tight that they needed thin divers to successfully navigate the space.
The cave is a highly restrictive, fractured network of tunnels and the men were located more than 800 feet from the entrance, down a steep 45-degree subterranean slope.
One of the rescue groups involved in the operation posted on Facebook Friday that drills and water pumps were installed to drain the water in order to attempt the rescue.
They said that the water level inside had decreased significantly but the logistics of the cave are complicated, officials said.
-ABC News' Britt Clennett contributed to this report.
