Five of seven people trapped in a cave in Laos have been rescued after flash flooding blocked their exit. Rescuers pumped water out of the cave system, allowing the five to emerge on their own.

One person was brought to safety a day earlier, but two remain missing, according to the Thailand Rescue Diver Facebook page, which has been assisting in the operation.

The group entered the cave last week in search of valuable minerals. A flash flood trapped them inside, but one villager escaped and alerted authorities.

A complex international rescue effort was mounted, involving teams from Laos, Thailand, Japan, and Malaysia. The cave is located in a rugged area of Xaisomboun province, about 120 km north of the capital Vientiane.

Divers faced dark, unfamiliar conditions, navigating narrow, flooded passages with jagged walls. The rescued men were found in good health but exhausted from dehydration and lack of food.

Hopes of finding the two missing men are fading as rescuers have searched about 95% of the tunnel system. Finnish cave diver Mikko Paasi told ThaiPBS World: "We don't have many places left to search."

Source: www.dw.com