Cave Divers Find 5 Men Alive After Week Trapped in Laos

After seven days trapped deep in a flooded cave system in central Laos, five men huddled on a rocky shelf heard the most beautiful sound imaginable: rescuers calling out to them in the darkness.

Finnish cave diver Mikko Paasi and Thai diver Norrased Palasing discovered the group on Wednesday evening, finding them pale but smiling after days without food or adequate water. The men had entered the cave in Xaysomboun province to search for gold when heavy rainfall triggered a landslide and flash flooding that sealed their exit.

"That was an emotional moment, like what are the chances?" Paasi told ABC in an exclusive interview. "Seeing them sitting there all grey and all pale but in good spirits. They were very happy, there were tears, big smiles from both sides."

The discovery came after Paasi slept less than three hours a night searching the labyrinthine system. To reach the men, he had to squeeze through passages so tight he needed to exhale just to wiggle his body through, pulling himself along 300 meters using only his fingertips and toes.

Now an international rescue team is assembling, including South Australian diver Josh Richards, who will land in Laos Friday morning. Richards, known for navigating extreme cave restrictions in the Limestone Coast region, was recruited specifically for his small stature and ability to fit through impossibly tight spaces.

"I'm pretty scared, if I'm honest," Richards admitted. "The stuff that Mikko has shared via video should scare anybody who watches it."

The cave system presents extraordinary challenges. The final 30 meters are completely flooded, and the walls are soft clay and mud rather than solid rock. Paasi described it as "if claustrophobia had a form, this would be it."

Since finding the men, Paasi and Palasing have made return trips to deliver food and water, carefully pulling supplies through the narrow passages. The men had prepared to stay in the cave for several days because of the difficult entry, but never expected to be trapped for over a week.

Why This Inspires

This rescue showcases the extraordinary lengths people will go to save strangers. Paasi, who also helped with the famous 2018 Thai cave rescue, is working around the clock despite the extreme danger. Richards is flying halfway across the world to help people he's never met, facing conditions that terrify even an experienced cave diver like himself.

The rescue team is hoping to pump enough water out of the cave so the men can crawl to safety without diving through the flooded sections. But if diving becomes necessary, these brave rescuers are ready to wiggle through muddy passages barely wider than their bodies to bring five fathers and sons home to their families.