5 of 7 people trapped in flooded Laos cave for more than a week found alive

World 5 of 7 people trapped in flooded Laos cave for more than a week found alive, rescuers say May 27, 2026 / 6:54 AM EDT / CBS/AP Add CBS News on Google Bangkok — Five villagers stuck in a flooded cave in central Laos for more than a week were found alive, rescuers said Wednesday, but two others are missing.The villagers entered the cave in Xaisomboun province on May 19, but heavy rain triggered flash flooding that blocked the exit and trapped seven people, according to Lao and Thai rescue teams involved in the operation. Bounkham Luanglath, of the Lao organization Rescue Volunteer for People, which has been working closely with local authorities in the rescue efforts, told The Associated Press five people were found safe and alive but two more are still missing and the search for them will continue. "I'm still shaking. Our team made it happen," he said in a voice message. Members of a rescue team work to save people trapped in a cave in Xaisomboun Province, Laos, in this handout image released May 25, 2026. METTA THAM KALASIN RESCUE The state-run Lao Economic Daily also said five people were found alive, according to french news agency AFP.A video posted by a Thai rescue group involved in the mission appeared to show the moment divers emerged from the water and discovered the trapped villagers. In the footage, the villagers, each wearing a headlamp, were sitting on a rock surrounded by floodwater. Other videos showed rescuers inside and outside the cave cheering, jumping around and hugging each other in joy after the discovery. Rescue workers from neighboring Thailand arrived at the site over the weekend. Those helping out include divers from several nations who took part in the complicated 2018 rescue in northern Thailand of 12 schoolboys and their soccer coach who were trapped for more than two weeks in a cave before being safely extricated. The cave is located in a rugged, remote area in Xaisomboun province's Longcheng district, about 75 miles north of t...