Flooding and rescue efforts in Xaysomboun Province

The incident began on May 20 in Xaysomboun province when seven villagers were trapped in the cave after flash floods blocked the exit while they were hunting bats and searching for gold. Five of the men were later rescued in stages, with divers extracting one on May 29 and four others guided out the following day after water levels were reduced.

Operation declared too risky to continue

Rescue teams, including international specialists, said unstable cave conditions, flooding, and poor air quality made further entry too dangerous. Malaysian cave diver Lee Kian Lie described the mission as one of the most hazardous he had worked on, while Thai rescuers said pumping operations would continue outside despite no further access being allowed.

Continued efforts despite fading hopes

Authorities said food and supplies had been left inside the cave, and water removal efforts would continue in case of survival. However, officials noted worsening weather and rising flood levels had severely reduced workable space inside the cave, making continued rescue attempts impossible.