STORY: Five people who had been trapped inside a cave in Laos for about a week were found alive on Wednesday (May 27), as dozens of Lao and Thai rescuers continued to search for two others, Thai volunteers said.

The seven Lao nationals had entered the cave in Xaisomboun province last week to look for gold before heavy rain and a landslide blocked their exit, according to a local volunteer group and state-run Lao Phattha News.

Reuters was able to confirm the location from the pipeline, rocks and vegetation which matched other videos uploaded to social media showing the rescue team above ground.

The orange helmet worn by one of the rescuers and the uniforms of the other men matched clips uploaded to social media showing the rescue team. The facial features and hair of the various members of the rescue team matched archive imagery of them.

The state-run Lao Phattana News confirmed the engagement of Thai rescue team in the cave. The date the videos were filmed was confirmed to Reuters by the Thai rescue team.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

Eyewitness videos show Thai rescue team members during rescue efforts at a cave in Laos where seven people were trapped for about a week, and announcing they confirmed people alive. Video credit: Norrased Palasing/Metta Tham Kalasin Rescue.

VIDEO SHOWS: RESCUERS FINDING FIVE PEOPLE TRAPPED IN CAVE / RESCUERS SEARCHING UNDERWATER AND IN CAVE / STATEMENT FROM HEAD OF THE METTA THAM KALASIN RESCUE ON FINDING FIVE PEOPLE / RESCUERS HUGGING EACH OTHER, CHEERING

Verified by:

- Location confirmed from pipeline, rocks and vegetation matched other videos uploaded to social media showing the rescue team above ground.

- The orange helmet and uniform of men in video matched other clips uploaded to social media showing the rescue team

- Facial features of men in the videos matched archive material of members of the rescue team

- The state-run Lao Phattana News confirmed the engagement of Thai rescue team in the cave

- Date confirmed to Reuters by Thai rescue team

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT

SHOWS: XAISOMBOUN PROVINCE, LAOS (MAY 27, 2026) (NORRASED PALASING - No resale / no archive / must on screen courtesy “Norrased Palasing”)

1. RESCUERS FINDING SURVIVORS TRAPPED IN CAVE / ONE OF RESCUERS, NORRASED PALASING, SAYING (Thai): “Ok, I’m Benz (nickname) and this is Mikko (Paasi), we have found the five Laotian nationals and they are all safe. We will now continue with our rescue efforts.”

XAISOMBOUN PROVINCE, LAOS (MAY 25, 2026) (METTA THAM KALASIN RESCUE - No resales / No archives / Must on-screen courtesy METTA THAM KALASIN RESCUE)

2. VARIOUS OF RESCUERS DURING RESCUE OPERATION INSIDE CAVE

3. RESCUERS STANDING AT CAVE GATE ENTRANCE ABOVE GROUND (ORIGINALLY SHOT IN PORTRAIT)

XAISOMBOUN PROVINCE, LAOS (MAY 27, 2026) (METTA THAM KALASIN RESCUE - No resales / No archives / Must on-screen courtesy METTA THAM KALASIN RESCUE) (PART ORIGINALLY SHOT IN PORTRAIT)

4. (SOUNDBITE) (Thai) HEAD OF THE METTA THAM KALASIN RESCUE, KENGKARD BONGAWONG, SAYING:

“At 1630 (0930 GMT), we found our targets. We found five and we are still looking for two more individuals. We found them. We will update again.”

5. RESCUERS HUGGING, CONGRATULATING EACH OTHER

6. RESCUERS WATCHING RECORDING OF THE MOMENT WHEN PEOPLE WERE FOUND ALIVE IN CAVE, SAYING (Thai):

MALE VOICE: "Some of them are crying."

ANOTHER MALE VOICE: "All of them, all of them are crying."

MALE VOICE FROM THE GOPRO: "Don't cry, don't cry."

MALE VOICE FROM GO PRO "How many of you there?"

MALE VOICE: "Five? And where's the rest?" / (REPLY INAUDIBLE)

MALE VOICE: "Here's water."

MALE VOICE OUTSIDE OF GO PRO: CHEERING, “Congrats, guys!”

7. VARIOUS OF RESCUERS HUGGING, CHEERING OUT OF THE CAVE