LAOS – Over one week after disappearing into a cave in Laos, a group of rescue cave divers located five of the seven missing villagers that became stranded after intense rain triggered flash flooding.
Now, rescuers are orchestrating a massive extraction effort to bring the group to safety and continue the search for the two remaining missing individuals.
Five of the seven missing villagers were found on a rock and surrounded by floodwater inside an underground cavern in the province of Xaisomboun on Wednesday, the New York Post reported.
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The villagers entered the cave on May 19, but heavy rain triggered flash flooding that blocked the exit of the cave, the Associated Press reported.
After sifting through the dark, muddied cave floodwaters and squeezing through narrow tunnels, video footage shows the moments the group of rescue teams found the stranded villagers sitting on top of a rock.
Heartwarming footage captures a team of rescuers rejoicing upon hearing the news the lost villagers were found in the cave.
When the flooding began, one villager who went into the cave with the group of seven was able to escape and alerted the emergency of the trapped villagers.
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In June 2018, the eyes of the world shifted to Thailand when a group of youth soccer players became stranded in a cave during the monsoon season, triggering the deployment of an elite world-class dive team that successfully extracted all 12 players and their coach.
Now, several members of that same group of divers have been deployed to Laos and are assisting in another high-stakes rescue operation.
While celebrations ensued following the news of finding five of the villagers alive, a challenging rescue and extraction awaits while two members of the group remain missing.
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This is a developing story. Stick with FOX Weather for future updates.
