Bounkham Luanglath of Lao organisation Rescue Volunteer for People, which has been working closely with local authorities in the rescue efforts, told The Associated Press that five people were found safe and alive but two more were still missing and the search for them would continue.
“I’m still shaking. Our team made it happen,” he said in a voice message.
A video posted by a Thai rescue group involved in the mission appeared to show the moment divers emerged from the water and discovered the trapped villagers.
In the footage, the villagers were sitting on a rock surrounded by floodwater.
Other videos showed rescuers inside and outside the cave cheering, jumping around and hugging each other in joy after the discovery.
The cave is located in a rugged, remote area in Xaisomboun province’s Longcheng district, about 120 kilometres north of the capital, Vientiane.
Rescuers at the scene have detailed on social media the challenging mountainous terrain and heavy rain that has hampered their work.
Videos shared online by Thai rescuers showed that reaching the cave’s entrance requires a steep hike on foot of roughly four kilometres.
The entrance is also steep and rocky, and barely wide enough for a single person at a time to climb through.
There has been no official confirmation on why the villagers went into the cave.
However, Bounkham has said that the cave was frequented by local residents looking for gold, even though authorities had repeatedly warned them against entering the cave because of safety concerns.
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