Rescuers in Laos discovered a previously unknown cave entrance in Xaisomboun Province that may provide access to the chamber where two miners have been missing for nearly two weeks after monsoon flooding trapped seven prospectors. Australian diver Josh Richards and French expert Robin Cuesta located the opening; Richards descended a shaft that could plunge about 100 metres toward the suspected area. He reported hearing unusual sounds from below, but it remains unclear if the passages connect. Heavy monsoon rains continue to complicate rescue efforts, though the new route might be safer than diving through narrow flooded tunnels.
New Cave Entrance Renewed Hope in Laos Search for Two Missing Miners
FILE PHOTO - International rescue teams work to evacuate trapped individuals from a flooded cave system in Xaisomboun Province, central Laos. Emergency crews are facing low oxygen levels and zero-visibility mud conditions inside the narrow subterranean network. (is associated with: «Rescuers find new access route in search for two missing Laos miners») Josh Richards/dpa
Rescuers searching for two miners missing in a flooded cave system in Xaisomboun province, Laos, say they have discovered a previously unknown entrance that could provide a safer route to the chamber where the men are believed to be trapped.
Australian cave diver Josh Richards, French cave expert Robin Cuesta and soldiers found the opening after trekking through dense mountain forest. The discovery comes nearly two weeks after monsoon flooding swept through large parts of the cave system and left seven gold prospectors trapped underground.
Five of the miners have already been rescued — one by specialists on Friday evening and four others who made their way out the following day. Richards said he descended the newly discovered shaft on Sunday and found a vertical drop that may extend roughly 100 metres toward the vicinity of the chamber where the two missing men are thought to be located. It is not yet known whether the new passages connect directly to the area where the survivors were found.
During the exploration, Richards said he struck the rock repeatedly with a hammer and heard unusual noises coming from below. "It is not clear what those sounds were, it wasn't clear if it was an animal or something else. But there are definitely some unusual sounds coming from the bottom of this hole," he said.
The search continues to be complicated by fresh monsoon rains that have intensified in recent days, raising water levels and making both access and rescue operations more hazardous. Rescuers had previously considered diving through flooded, extremely narrow tunnels beyond the chamber where the five survivors were located; Richards said the new entrance could offer a safer alternative to those risky dives.
Teams on the ground remain cautious: officials and specialists are assessing whether the newly found shaft can be secured and linked to existing rescue routes. Meanwhile, efforts continue to locate and extract the remaining two miners as the weather and cave conditions permit.
"The current entrance is terrifying and is scaring quite a few of us at the moment," Richards said, describing the precarious conditions at the newly found opening.
Help us improve.
