CHINA
INDIA
MYANMAR
LAOS
Cave in the
Xaisomboun
Province
Vientiane
THAILAND
CAMBODIA
VIETNAM
Wednesday, May 20
Eight villagers enter a cave system in central
Laos in search of valuable gold deposits. Shortly
after, unexpected flash flooding traps them inside
the cave. One member manages to get out and
alerts the authorities.
Weekend of May 23-24
Rescue operation begins
International expert divers are deployed to the scene
to join efforts to help rescue the villagers.
Monday, May 25
The multinational team officially began navigating
the narrow, underwater passages to locate the
missing men.
Equipment used by
the rescue team
Helmet flashlight
Stretcher
Oxygen tank
Ropes
Diving mask
Wi-Fi system
Wednesday, May 27
Five villagers are found
After days of perilous diving, the team
successfully locates five of the villagers alive in
the fourth chamber of the cave, more than 260
meters (853 foot) from the entrance.
The perilous path down the cave
Some parts of
the tunnel are just
60cm (23in) wide
100m
200m
300m
Entrance
(328ft)
(656ft)
(984ft)
Gold
Rescuers need to crawl for
panning
50m (164ft) down a narrow
site
45-degree angle tunnel
Rocky plateau
4–5m
2m (6.5ft)
(13–16ft)
drop
drop
Rescue team
continues onwards in
Five survivors
the search of the two
found here
remaining people
The men, perched on a rocky ledge, are found
suffering from hunger and dehydration but
otherwise appear stable.
Thursday, May 28
Rescue mission continues
A generator is placed close to the entrance of
the cave to pump out water in efforts to drain
the cave ahead of the survivors’
extraction. Myriad challenges are involved,
including the tricky navigation of muddy
passageways and underground streams, using
cables to guide the way. Some parts of the
tunnels are so narrow, divers reported being
forced to remove their equipment to squeeze
through.
Friday, May 29
First villager is freed
An operation is launched to extract the survivors
from the cave after excavation teams
successfully clear an access route to the
cave. The man — named as Muen — was pulled
to safety mid-evening local time on Friday.
CHINA
INDIA
MYANMAR
LAOS
Cave in the
Xaisomboun
Province
Vientiane
THAILAND
CAMBODIA
VIETNAM
Wednesday, May 20
Eight villagers enter a cave system in central
Laos in search of valuable gold deposits. Shortly
after, unexpected flash flooding traps them inside
the cave. One member manages to get out and
alerts the authorities.
Weekend of May 23-24
Rescue operation begins
International expert divers are deployed to the scene
to join efforts to help rescue the villagers.
Monday, May 25
The multinational team officially began navigating
the narrow, underwater passages to locate the
missing men.
Equipment used by
the rescue team
Helmet flashlight
Stretcher
Oxygen tank
Ropes
Diving mask
Wi-Fi system
Wednesday, May 27
Five villagers are found
After days of perilous diving, the team
successfully locates five of the villagers alive in
the fourth chamber of the cave, more than 260
meters (853 foot) from the entrance.
The perilous path down the cave
Some parts of
the tunnel are just
60cm (23in) wide
100m
200m
300m
Entrance
(328ft)
(656ft)
(984ft)
Gold
Rescuers need to crawl for
panning
50m (164ft) down a narrow
site
45-degree angle tunnel
Rocky plateau
4–5m
2m (6.5ft)
(13–16ft)
drop
drop
Rescue team
continues onwards in
Five survivors
the search of the two
found here
remaining people
The men, perched on a rocky ledge, are found
suffering from hunger and dehydration but
otherwise appear stable.
Thursday, May 28
Rescue mission continues
A generator is placed close to the entrance of
the cave to pump out water in efforts to drain
the cave ahead of the survivors’
extraction. Myriad challenges are involved,
including the tricky navigation of muddy
passageways and underground streams, using
cables to guide the way. Some parts of the
tunnels are so narrow, divers reported being
forced to remove their equipment to squeeze
through.
Friday, May 29
First villager is freed
An operation is launched to extract the survivors
from the cave after excavation teams
successfully clear an access route to the
cave. The man — named as Muen — was pulled
to safety mid-evening local time on Friday.
CHINA
BANGLADESH
TAIWAN
INDIA
MYANMAR
LAOS
Cave in the
Xaisomboun Province
Vientiane
THAILAND
PHILIPPINES
CAMBODIA
Wednesday, May 20
Eight villagers enter a cave system in
VIETNAM
central Laos in search of valuable gold
deposits. Shortly after, unexpected flash
flooding traps them inside the cave. One
member manages to get out and alerts
the authorities.
BRUNEI
MALAYSIA
MALAYSIA
INDONESIA
Weekend of May 23-24
Rescue operation begins
International expert divers are deployed to the scene
to join efforts to help rescue the villagers.
Monday, May 25
The multinational team officially
began navigating the narrow,
underwater passages
to locate the missing men.
Equipment used by the rescue team
Helmet flashlight
Stretcher
Oxygen tank
Ropes
Diving mask
Wi-Fi system
Wednesday, May 27
Five villagers are found
After days of perilous diving, the team
successfully locates five of the villagers alive in
the fourth chamber of the cave, more than 260
meters (853 foot) from the entrance.
The perilous path down the cave
Entrance
50m
100m
150m
200m
250m
300m
350m
(164ft)
(328ft)
(492ft)
(656ft)
(820ft)
(984ft)
(1,148ft)
Rescuers must crawl
50m (164ft) down a narrow
45-degree angle tunnel
Some parts of
Rocky plateau
Gold
the tunnel are just
panning
60cm (23in) wide
site
4–5m
2m (6.5ft)
(13–16ft)
drop
drop
Rescue team
continues onwards in
Five survivors
the search of the two
found here
remaining people
The men, perched on a rocky
ledge, are found suffering from
hunger and dehydration but
otherwise appear stable.
Thursday, May 28
Rescue mission continues
A generator is placed close to the entrance of the cave
to pump out water in efforts to drain the cave ahead of
the survivors’ extraction. Myriad challenges are involved,
including the tricky navigation of muddy passageways
and underground streams, using cables to guide the
way. Some parts of the tunnels are so narrow, divers
reported being forced to remove their equipment to
squeeze through.
Friday, May 29
First villager is freed
An operation is launched to extract the survivors from
the cave after excavation teams successfully clear an
access route to the cave. The man — named as Muen —
was pulled to safety mid-evening local time on Friday.
CHINA
BANGLADESH
TAIWAN
INDIA
MYANMAR
LAOS
Cave in the
Xaisomboun Province
Vientiane
THAILAND
Wednesday, May 20
PHILIPPINES
CAMBODIA
Eight villagers enter a cave system in
central Laos in search of valuable gold
VIETNAM
deposits. Shortly after, unexpected flash
flooding traps them inside the cave. One
member manages to get out and alerts
the authorities.
BRUNEI
MALAYSIA
Weekend of May 23-24
Rescue operation begins
International expert divers are deployed to the scene
to join efforts to help rescue the villagers.
Monday, May 25
The multinational team officially
began navigating the narrow,
underwater passages
to locate the missing men.
Equipment used by the rescue team
Helmet flashlight
Stretcher
Oxygen tank
Ropes
Diving mask
Wi-Fi system
Wednesday, May 27
Five villagers are found
After days of perilous diving, the team
successfully locates five of the villagers alive in
the fourth chamber of the cave, more than 260
meters (853 foot) from the entrance.
The perilous path down the cave
Entrance
50m
100m
150m
200m
250m
300m
350m
(164ft)
(328ft)
(492ft)
(656ft)
(820ft)
(984ft)
(1,148ft)
Rescuers must crawl
50m (164ft) down a narrow
45-degree angle tunnel
Some parts of
Rocky plateau
Gold
the tunnel are just
panning
60cm (23in) wide
site
4–5m
2m (6.5ft)
(13–16ft)
drop
drop
Rescue team
continues onwards in
Five survivors
the search of the two
found here
remaining people
The men, perched on a rocky
ledge, are found suffering from
hunger and dehydration but
otherwise appear stable.
Thursday, May 28
Rescue mission continues
A generator is placed close to the entrance of the cave
to pump out water in efforts to drain the cave ahead of
the survivors’ extraction. Myriad challenges are involved,
including the tricky navigation of muddy passageways
and underground streams, using cables to guide the
way. Some parts of the tunnels are so narrow, divers
reported being forced to remove their equipment to
squeeze through.
Friday, May 29
First villager is freed
An operation is launched to extract the survivors from
the cave after excavation teams successfully clear an
access route to the cave. The man — named as Muen —
was pulled to safety mid-evening local time on Friday.