A desperate rescue operation is under way in northern Laos, where four British nationals are among a group of 12 believed to be trapped in a flooded cave system. The group, which also includes two Australians, three French tourists, and three local guides, entered the Viengxay Caves on Tuesday afternoon despite warnings of rising water levels following monsoon rains.
Rescue teams worked through the night, battling fast-flowing water and thick mud. As dawn broke, an international dive team from the Thai rescue unit, known for the 2018 Tham Luang operation, joined local emergency services. Late this morning, oxygen tanks and rope lines were seen being hauled to a narrow entrance.
The missing Britons have been named as Mark Hollingsworth, 34, a construction worker from Manchester; Emily Carter, 28, a teacher from Sheffield; Tom Richards, 31, a software developer from Bristol; and Sophie Ackroyd, 26, a nurse from Leeds. Their families have been contacted and are being flown to the region.
This is a story of ordinary people on holiday who strayed into danger. It is a stark reminder that the real economy of foreign travel, of hard-earned savings spent on a once-in-a-lifetime trip, can be shattered in an instant. For working-class families in the North, the cost of flying a relative home or arranging emergency visas can be crippling. The Government must ensure that consular support is not just for the wealthy.
The entrance to the Viengxay Caves is a gap in limestone karst, now nearly submerged. Inside, a network of chambers stretches for miles. Survivors have been in contact via satellite phone, reporting that they are in an air pocket about two miles in, with rising water and dwindling food. A medic on the scene described the situation as “grave but not hopeless.”
The operation is now in its final phase. Divers are working in relays, each carrying extra oxygen tanks and a stretcher. Rain is forecast for this evening, which could flood the chamber completely. Every minute counts.
We will bring you the latest as this story unfolds. For now, our thoughts are with those families waiting at home, watching the sky, and hoping for a miracle.
