Asia
After more than two weeks, rescuers say the risks of continuing the operation outweigh the slim chance of saving the men.
Rescuers work to save trapped people in a cave in Xaisomboun Province, Laos, May 29, 2026. (Photo: Handout via Reuters/Metta Tham Kalasin Rescue)
06 Jun 2026 04:05PM
VIENTIANE: Rescuers called off their search Saturday (Jun 6) for two men trapped in a semi-submerged cave in Laos for more than two weeks, as the site became unstable and survival hopes faded.Seven villagers became trapped in the cave in central Xaysomboun province on May 20 when flash floods blocked their exit as they hunted bats for food and searched for gold in old mining areas, state media said.Rescue teams located five of the men alive a week later, with one extracted by divers on May 29 and four guided out the following day after water was pumped from the flooded cavern.The two others remained missing despite intensive searching by Laos and international rescue teams.
