The rescue mission began on June 3, when authorities launched a joint Lao-Thai operation to locate and rescue individuals trapped inside the flooded cave system.

According to the Lao-Thai rescue coordination team, emergency crews have spent the past several days pumping water from the cave to allow divers to advance deeper into the system. However, operations remain challenging as pumps must be switched off when divers enter the cave, causing water levels to rise again.

Rescue teams are also surveying sinkholes and alternative access points above the cave while using scanning technology to map underground water flows.

Officials said the discovery of a natural water outflow point below the mountain is a positive breakthrough. Authorities have been asked to approve the use of excavators to accelerate drainage from the lower area of the mountain and reduce water levels inside the cave.

If conditions improve, rescue teams plan to advance to chambers four and five, where the two missing individuals are believed to be located.

The operation continues around the clock as Lao and Thai rescue personnel race against time and weather conditions in their efforts to reach the remaining trapped individuals.

KPL