Seven Trapped in Flooded Laos Cave, Rescue Efforts Underway

Rescuers are trying to reach and free seven people trapped inside a cave in central Laos.

The group entered the cave in search of gold five days ago but became stuck inside after heavy rain flooded the exit.

Cave rescue divers who helped free a football team from a Thai cave eight years ago have arrived in Laos to try and help.

Cave rescue divers who helped free a football team stuck in a Thai cave eight years ago have arrived in Laos to try and help extract seven people trapped in a flooded cave.

Seven Laotian villagers entered the cave in central Xaysomboun province, about 125 kilometres northeast of the capital Vientiane five days ago, according to state media.

They were believed to be searching for gold but became trapped inside the cave after heavy rain triggered flash flooding.

Videos released by volunteer organisations show rescuers inside the cave crawling through narrow, muddy crevices using ropes and torches.

Authorities and villagers have been working to pump water out of the cave, but rescue teams have not been able to reach the group.

"We still do not know whether there are any signs of life or if they are still alive," Bounkham Luanglat, president of a Laotian volunteer rescue association, told AFP.

He said one of the people from the group escaped before the exit was blocked and alerted authorities.

About 100 people from Laos and Thailand have arrived at the site in Long Chanh district to help in the rescue operations, the association said.

Two Thai rescue specialists and another expert from Finland who participated in the rescue of the "Wild Boars" team, who spent nearly three weeks trapped by flash floods in northern Thailand's Tham Luang cave complex in 2018, arrived at the Laos cave on Monday.

The Laotian rescue group had appealed to charities in Thailand for specialist personnel and equipment, including water pumps, generators and thermal imaging devices, to help locate and extract the seven people trapped inside.

The group described the situation as a humanitarian emergency and urged Thai partners to contribute, as rescuers were working in difficult flood conditions.

"The mission is tough because of rain when we went down (into the cave)," Thai rescuer Chakkit Taengtan said in a video posted to his Facebook page on Sunday.

"We had to move out as the water level was increasing."

The cave system, located in a remote area, extends deep underground, with multiple levels and some passages reaching more than 100 metres from the entrance, the Laotian rescue group said.