Trending Now - Five Survivors Discovered After Week in Flooded Laos Cave

WHO:

CNN - Five villagers were trapped in a flooded cave in Laos.

CBS News - Bounkham Luanglath is from the Lao organization Rescue Volunteer for People.

ABC News - Rescue teams from Laos and Thailand are involved in the operation.

WHAT:

CNN - The five villagers are located more than 260 meters deep inside the cave.

CNN - One of the trapped villagers, identified as Ing, stated, “Don’t worry, Mom. The rescue team has reached us now. We’re safe. I miss Mom and Dad so much. We’ll probably get out tomorrow or the day after.”

CNN - Rescuers reported that the best course of action is to drain the cave to allow the five villagers to crawl out.

CNN - Rescuers are working to position a large generator as close to the entrance as possible to pump water out of the cave faster.

CNN - The villagers were found on a Wednesday, specifically reported as May 27, 2026.

CBS News - A video posted by a Thai rescue group showed the moment divers discovered the trapped villagers, who were sitting on a rock surrounded by floodwater, each wearing a headlamp.

ABC News - Videos showed rescuers inside and outside the cave celebrating after the discovery of the villagers.

[10:00 AM EDT] - CNN - The five villagers were found alive by specialist cave divers, and they remain stuck in an underground cavern as rescuers continue to search for the two remaining individuals.

[10:00 AM EDT] - CNN - A Laotian rescue group stated that the five found were “alive and all safe.”

[10:00 AM EDT] - CNN - Rescuers are planning to provide the trapped villagers with liquid and gel food after their physical assessment, and a plan will be formed for their extraction.

[10:00 AM EDT] - CNN - Video footage taken using a GoPro shows rescuers reaching the trapped villagers and telling them “don’t cry, don’t cry!”

[6:54 AM EDT] - CBS News - Thai rescue diver Kengkad Bongkawong reported on Facebook that "5 people have been found safe. The search continues for the remaining 2."

[6:54 AM EDT] - CBS News - Rescuers are planning to provide the trapped villagers with liquid and gel food after their physical assessment.

[6:54 AM EDT] - CBS News - The villagers are believed to be trapped on "an elevated ledge inside the cave that benefits from continuous airflow," according to the state-run Lao News Agency.

CNN - Rescuers reported that the five villagers were found on a Wednesday.

CBS News - Bounkham Luanglath stated, "I'm still shaking. Our team made it happen," in a voice message after the discovery.

ABC News - Videos showed rescuers inside and outside the cave cheering and celebrating after the discovery of the villagers.

CNN - Five of the seven villagers trapped in the cave were found alive by rescuers.

CBS News - The villagers were found safe and alive, but two others are still missing.

ABC News - The search for the two missing villagers will continue.

WHERE:

CNN - The incident occurred in a cave in the central Laotian province of Xaisomboun.

CBS News - The cave is located in Longcheng district, about 75 miles north of Vientiane, the capital of Laos.

WHEN:

CBS News - The villagers entered the cave on May 19.

CNN - Rescuers found the five villagers alive on a Wednesday.

WHY:

CBS News - The villagers entered the cave in search of gold, despite warnings from authorities about safety concerns.

HOW:

CNN - Rescuers are using LAN internet cables to communicate deep inside the cave, providing clear directions to prevent crossing paths on the one-way route.

CBS News - The rescue operation involved more than 100 people, including divers from several nations who participated in the 2018 rescue in Thailand.

[10:00 AM EDT] - CNN - Rescuers had to navigate a 340-meter (1,115 feet) tunnel to reach the trapped villagers, with some areas of the tunnel being very narrow, approximately 23 inches wide.

[6:54 AM EDT] - CBS News - Rescuers had to navigate a narrow section of the tunnel, with a width of roughly 23 inches, and one rescuer had to remove his equipment to squeeze through.

CNN - Rescuers had to navigate a narrow section of the tunnel, approximately 23 inches wide, to reach the trapped villagers.

CBS News - The entrance to the cave requires a steep hike on foot of roughly 2.5 miles, and the entrance is described as steep and rocky, barely wide enough for a single person to climb through.

CNN - Rescuers navigated a 340-meter (1,115 feet) tunnel to reach the trapped villagers.

CBS News - The rescue operation involved more than 100 people, including 15 experienced divers.

ABC News - Videos showed the moment divers discovered the trapped villagers, who were sitting on a rock surrounded by floodwater.

(UPDATED May 28, 2026 10:18 UTC)

Rescue efforts are underway for five villagers trapped more than 260 meters deep inside a cave, with rescuers working to drain the water to allow them to crawl out. One of the villagers, identified as Ing, reassured his mother, saying, “Don’t worry, Mom. The rescue team has reached us now. We’re safe. I miss Mom and Dad so much. We’ll probably get out tomorrow or the day after.” To facilitate the rescue, teams are positioning a large generator near the entrance to pump water out faster and are using LAN internet cables to communicate effectively within the cave.

(UPDATED May 28, 2026 01:33 UTC)

Divers have successfully located a group of villagers trapped on a rock surrounded by floodwaters, with each person wearing a headlamp. A video from a Thai rescue group captured the moment of discovery, and rescuers were seen celebrating both inside and outside the cave. The operation involved over 100 individuals, including divers who had previously participated in the 2018 rescue in Thailand.

(UPDATED May 27, 2026 21:32 UTC)

Rescue efforts are underway as five villagers have been found alive by specialist cave divers, although they remain trapped in an underground cavern while search teams continue looking for two others. A Laotian rescue group confirmed that the five individuals are safe and plans are in place to provide them with liquid and gel food after their physical assessment, leading to a strategy for their extraction. Video footage captured by a GoPro shows rescuers reaching the villagers and reassuring them with the words, “don’t cry, don’t cry,” after navigating a challenging 340-meter tunnel to reach them.

(UPDATED May 27, 2026 19:44 UTC)

Rescuers have successfully located five individuals safe and are continuing their search for the remaining two trapped villagers. Plans are in place to provide these villagers with liquid and gel food after assessing their physical condition, as they are believed to be stuck on an elevated ledge inside a cave that benefits from continuous airflow. The rescue operation has been challenging, with rescuers needing to navigate a narrow section of the tunnel, measuring about 23 inches wide, forcing one rescuer to remove his equipment to get through.

(UPDATED May 27, 2026 16:23 UTC)

Rescuers have successfully located five villagers trapped in a cave, with celebrations erupting both inside and outside as videos captured the joyous moment. Bounkham Luanglath expressed his excitement in a voice message, saying, "I'm still shaking. Our team made it happen." The rescue team faced significant challenges, navigating a narrow tunnel just 23 inches wide and hiking approximately 2.5 miles over steep, rocky terrain to reach the entrance.

(UPDATED May 27, 2026 12:05 UTC)

In a dramatic rescue operation in a cave in the central Laotian province of Xaisomboun, five of the seven villagers trapped since May 19 were found alive by rescuers, while two others remain missing. The rescue effort, which involved over 100 people including 15 experienced divers, was launched after the villagers entered the cave in search of gold, despite safety warnings from authorities. Rescuers navigated a 340-meter tunnel to reach the villagers, who were discovered sitting on a rock surrounded by floodwater.