Four more trapped inside a flooded Laos cave have been pulled to safety. British divers are leading the rescue. The operation is risky. It is personal. These are not just any divers. They are the men who saved the Thai football team from Tham Luang in 2018. Now they are deploying the same nerve and skill in a remote corner of Laos.
The cave, known locally as Tham Khoun Xe, is a labyrinth. Water levels rose suddenly after heavy monsoon rains. A group of seven explorers was cut off. Two were extracted yesterday. Four more today. One remains. The rescue team is confident he will be out by nightfall.
Inside the cave, visibility is near zero. The current is strong. Divers rely on their hands and a guide line. Each trip takes hours. The trapped are not experienced cavers. They panicked. The divers kept them calm. Used their own air supply. Brought them out one by one.
British involvement is no accident. The Foreign Office has a dedicated cave rescue unit. It was set up after Tham Luang. It works with local authorities. No fanfare. No press releases. Just results. Word of the rescue broke via a local official. He praised the "extraordinary courage" of the team.
Downing Street is aware. The Prime Minister is being briefed. No statement yet. Expect one when all are safe. This is a good news story. Labour will join in praising the divers. No partisan point-scoring here. This is about British expertise and bravery.
The rescue is a logistical nightmare. The cave entrance is a two-hour hike from the nearest road. Equipment has been carried in by hand. A makeshift command post has been set up under a tarpaulin. Medics wait to check the survivors. They are dehydrated and exhausted. But alive.
One diver spoke to reporters. He is a former Royal Marine. "The conditions are unforgiving. But we train for this. The look on their faces when they see the light... that is why we do it." He declined to give his name. "It is not about me. It is about them."
The foreign secretary has been in touch with the Laos government. Offers of further assistance have been made. The Laos authorities have handled the media well. They allowed access but did not over-promise. The mood is cautious relief.
What happens next? The final survivor is expected to be brought out within hours. Then the rescue will be stood down. The divers will decompress. Some will fly home. Others stay for a debrief. The Foreign Office will produce an after-action report. But for now, the focus is on the last extraction.
The operation has not been without incident. One diver suffered an equipment failure. He was swapped out. No serious injuries. The team knows its limits. They push just enough. Not too much.
This is a reminder of the dangers of wild caving. The group that got trapped were tourists. They ignored warnings about rising water. They were lucky the British team was nearby. They were training in the region. A planned exercise became a real rescue.
The rescued are being taken to hospital in Luang Prabang. They will be checked for decompression sickness and infections. Their families have been notified. Some have travelled to Laos. They are grateful. They are crying.
The story is not over. But the hardest part is done. British divers have done it again. They are the best in the world. And they do it without seeking glory. That is the British way.
More updates to follow. This live blog will be updated as news breaks.
