(Vientiane, 26th) Thai cave rescue experts have joined the rescue team to help save seven people who have been trapped for five days in a cave inundated by floods in Laos. These Thai cave rescue specialists previously participated in the 2018 Thai youth football team cave rescue operation.
On May 20, seven Laotian villagers entered a cave in the central region of Saysomboun Province, about 125 kilometers northeast of the capital Vientiane, to hunt for gold, but were blocked by flooding at the entrance. They have now been trapped for five days.
The Laotian national news agency 'Laophattana News' reported that two Thai rescue experts and one Finnish expert arrived in Laos on Monday (May 25) to assist with the rescue operation.
The Laos Volunteer Rescue Association stated that about 100 rescuers from Laos and Thailand have gone to the cave site in Longcheng District, Laos.
The Laos rescue team had sent a letter to a Thai charity organization last Saturday (the 23rd), requesting professional personnel and equipment, including water pumps, generators, and thermal imaging devices to help locate and rescue the seven trapped people.
The rescue team has described the incident as a humanitarian emergency, and rescuers are currently working under harsh flood conditions.
The team pointed out that the cave is located in a remote area, has a complex structure, and extends deep underground, with some passageways more than 100 meters from the entrance. Combined with ongoing local rainfall, the water level inside the cave is rising, further increasing the difficulty of the search and rescue effort.
On May 20, seven Laotian villagers entered a cave in the central region of Saysomboun Province, about 125 kilometers northeast of the capital Vientiane, to hunt for gold, but were blocked by flooding at the entrance. They have now been trapped for five days.
The Laotian national news agency 'Laophattana News' reported that two Thai rescue experts and one Finnish expert arrived in Laos on Monday (May 25) to assist with the rescue operation.
The Laos rescue team had sent a letter to a Thai charity organization last Saturday (the 23rd), requesting professional personnel and equipment, including water pumps, generators, and thermal imaging devices to help locate and rescue the seven trapped people.
The rescue team has described the incident as a humanitarian emergency, and rescuers are currently working under harsh flood conditions.
The team pointed out that the cave is located in a remote area, has a complex structure, and extends deep underground, with some passageways more than 100 meters from the entrance. Combined with ongoing local rainfall, the water level inside the cave is rising, further increasing the difficulty of the search and rescue effort.