HEROIC EFFORT

Miracle as Miners Trapped in Flooded Cave for a Week Are Found Alive

Divers reached five of those trapped deep inside the mountain—but two are still missing.

Five villagers have been found alive deep inside a flooded cave eight days after they became trapped underground. The group had ventured into a tunnel in central Laos, in southeast Asia, on May 19 to dig for gold, only for a sudden deluge to cut off their escape and strand all seven, the Associated Press reported. Two remain missing, and the search goes on. Bounkham Luanglath, who heads the Laotian charity Rescue Volunteer for People, told the AP the successful rescue operation had left him reeling. “I’m still shaking. Our team made it happen,” he said. The effort drew more than 100 rescuers, CNN reported, including divers who helped free a boys’ soccer team from a Thai cave in 2018. Footage captured rescuers punching the air and embracing after reaching the survivors, huddled on a rocky shelf above the floodwater.