Cave survivors in Laos emerge alone and surprise rescuers

Four more men escaped from a flooded cave in Laos after being trapped for ten days, according to authorities.

They managed to navigate the underground tunnels alone, surprising rescue divers who were preparing to enter the cave and try to extricate them, according to Bounkham Luanglath of the Lao People's Volunteer Association.

The men were able to walk and crawl out on their own because the water level inside the cave had dropped considerably, Luanglath said.

Emergency pumping operations were carried out throughout the night.

The health status of those rescued is still unclear, after being trapped underground without food and water for more than a week.

Another resident was rescued from the cave on Friday night (30), local time.

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Two other people, believed to have entered the cave before the other men, remain missing.

The rescue team said this Saturday (30) that it is assessing the situation and planning the next steps for the search and rescue operation.

The seven people entered the cave in Xaisomboun province in central Laos in search of gold on May 20. They were trapped by a landslide caused by heavy rain, according to a local rescue group and state news agency Lao Phattana News.

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A rescuer from the team sent from Thailand to Laos to try to rescue men trapped in a cave after flooding - Reproduction/Rescue divers in Thailand via Facebook

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Mr. Mikko Pietari Paasi and Mr. Noraset Palasingh, two cave diving experts, after leaving the cave in Laos on a mission to rescue seven villagers - Thailand Rescue Diver via Facebook

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Thai rescuer enters cave in Laos to search for missing residents - Chakkit Taengtang via Facebook

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Diving experts with Thai rescue team in Laos - Thailand Rescue Diver via Facebook

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On May 26, the air compressor was sent from Thailand with the support of the Thai Public Security Support Team for the rescue operation in a cave in Laos - Thailand Rescue Diver via Facebook

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Thai rescue team on second day of mission to find workers trapped in cave in Laos - Thailand Rescue Diver via Facebook

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Source: CNN