After a long and complex operation inside a flooded cave in a remote area of central Laos, on Saturday, the men at the center of the mission did something few expected: they walked out.

Rescuers say extraction efforts complicated by low oxygen supplies, dark and narrow spaces, plus more rain

Rescuers face a daunting task freeing five trapped villagers located so far while search continues for another two

Hope has returned for the five trapped men deep inside a flooded Laos cave. For more than a week, they huddled together above the murky waters in the pitch black, more than 260…

Five villagers trapped inside a flooded cave in Laos for more than a week have been found alive, while two are still missing.

Rescuers rejoiced as they found five of the seven men trapped in a Laos cave. But they caution a high-stakes extraction lies ahead, "and it ain't going to be easy".

Rescuers are still working to prepare for the challenging operation to bring the villagers out of the cave

Specialist cave divers on a multinational rescue team are racing to rescue villagers trapped in a Laos cave for over a week. Follow for live updates.

The man, who walked unsteadily from the cave with assistance, is the first to be extricated from a group of five found this week, while two others are missing.

Here’s everything CNN knows about how the rescue operation has unfolded so far and the depths to which the rescuers have had to dive to reach the trapped men.

Seven villagers entered the cave last week and became trapped inside by flash flooding that blocked their way out. Five of them were found two days ago alive and in good health.

Seven people who entered the cave last week were trapped inside by flash flooding that blocked their way. Five of them found some days ago have reached the service after rescuers…

A rescue team freed on Friday one of seven men trapped inside a semi-submerged cave in Laos for more than a week, the group working at the site said.

Rescue workers in Laos have worked to safely free villagers trapped in a flooded cave for 10 days. On Friday, the first of five detected survivors was evacuated.

Laos officials believe two other men may still be missing in the cave, although rescue crews say they have explored most of the tunnels and have not found any survivors or bodies.

Search efforts to find two missing men were expected to continue on Saturday after rescuers freed the last of the five men found alive on a rock.

The five are among seven Lao nationals who had entered the cave to prospect for gold, but were trapped for more than a week when rising water blocked their exit.

Rescue teams in Laos successfully evacuated four villagers from a flooded cave, while searching for two others still missing.

Two others remain missing after group became trapped by rising water last week

Rescuers in Laos said Saturday they have safely evacuated four villagers trapped in a flooded cave for 10 days. One person was safely released a day earlier.

Laos and Thai rescue groups posted about the successful operation on social media, along with photos of the men lying on stretchers, wearing oxygen masks and being wrapped in foil…