Laos cave survivors are assisting with plans to locate the last two missing men after heavy rain temporarily halted search operations, according to the Rescue Volunteer for People group. Later on Sunday, the group said on social media that search operations were suspended due to heavy rain causing water to flow down into the cave’s entrance. They said efforts would continue on Monday.

Rescue Operations and Weather Delays

According to the Met Office forecast for nearby capital Vientiane, rain is unlikely in the region on Monday. Specialist divers from other countries including Thailand, Indonesia, France and Australia are also helping the searches. The first man was freed by rescuers on Friday.

Successful Evacuation of Four Villagers

Rescue workers in Laos said Saturday they have safely evacuated four villagers trapped in a flooded cave for 10 days, the day after another one was successfully extracted. Two men remain missing. Lao and Thai rescue groups posted about the successful operation on social media, along with photos of the men lying on stretchers, wearing oxygen masks and being wrapped in foil blankets.

The villagers had reportedly entered the cave last week to look for valuable minerals before being trapped by flash flooding that blocked their way out. One other villager escaped in time and alerted the authorities to the seven left behind. Lao organization Rescue Volunteer for People said on its Facebook page that the water level inside the cave receded low enough for them to leave with divers who had gone in to deliver food and water. They said they will continue their search for the two who remain missing.

Details from the Rescue Efforts

A video posted online by a Thai rescuer at the scene, Chakkit Taengtang, showed the men being assisted one by one out of the cave’s entrance, bodies covered in mud. After they got out, some collapsed on the ground and were hugged by a group of rescuers who cried in joy. The first of the trapped group was safely evacuated on Friday. According to rescuers, that operation took about 30 minutes. Videos showed the moment he emerged from the water alongside a diver, catching his breath before struggling to crawl through a narrow, flooded passage and rising unsteadily to his feet.

Five of them were found alive Wednesday.