A British-led rescue operation is underway in northern Laos to extract two men who have been trapped in a cave system for ten days, officials confirmed on Thursday. The Tham Nguen cave, near the border with Vietnam, flooded unexpectedly during heavy monsoon rains, cutting off the pair from the entrance. Rescuers have been drilling a narrow shaft from the surface to reach the chamber where the men are believed to be sheltering.
The British team, comprising specialists from the Cave Rescue Organisation and Royal Navy divers, is working alongside Laotian military and international volunteers. The operation is being coordinated by the British Embassy in Vientiane, which has deployed a crisis response team. The men, both Laotian nationals, are reported to be in stable condition with access to food and oxygen.
The rescue plan involves widening the shaft to allow for a vertical extraction using a winch system. The operation is expected to take another 12 to 18 hours, weather permitting. The British team’s involvement follows a request from the Laotian government, citing the UK’s expertise in cave rescues, notably the 2018 Tham Luang operation in Thailand.
The current rescue is described as technically challenging due to the unstable limestone geology and the risk of further flooding. Officials have not released the names of the trapped men pending family notification.
