Laos Rescuers Probe Knocking 70 Meters Down Shaft as 2 Men Remain Trapped
Updated
Updated · CNN · Jun 1
Laos Rescuers Probe Knocking 70 Meters Down Shaft as 2 Men Remain Trapped
10 articles · Updated · CNN · Jun 1
Knocking responses were heard at least twice in 24 hours, including 70 meters down a newly found shaft, prompting rescuers to investigate possible signs of life from the two missing men.
The shaft drops more than 100 meters into a chamber in the target area and may offer a safer route than the flooded passages, though teams still cannot confirm the sounds came from the trapped pair.
Australian and Thai specialists believe the only likely refuge is an air pocket about 100 meters farther through an extremely tight, hazardous passage mapped with help from the five survivors.
Heavy rain and flash flooding continue to hamper the operation in Xaisomboun province, where crews are pumping water, blocking inflows and building retention ponds after five of the eight gold seekers escaped alive.
After hearing knocks of life from deep underground, what is the rescuers' next move against the clock?
With passages only 50cm wide, is this rescue even more challenging than the famed Thai cave incident?
Beyond the rescue, can Laos solve the poverty that drives men into its deadly, gold-filled caves?
Laos 2026 Cave Crisis: The Rescue of 5 Gold Miners, Ongoing Search for 2, and the Global Effort Behind It
Overview
In late May 2026, seven Laotian villagers entered a cave system in Xaysomboun province and became trapped after monsoonal rains caused flash flooding and landslides, blocking their exit. Rising water levels made rescue efforts extremely difficult. International divers, including Mikko Paasi and Norrased 'Benz' Palasing, navigated flooded passages to locate five of the miners on May 27. The first miner was safely extracted on May 29, and the remaining four walked out after water levels receded. Despite these successes, two miners remain missing as rescue teams continue their challenging search amid ongoing rain and unstable cave conditions.