Rescue operations at a flooded cave system in Laos have shifted focus to locating two missing villagers after five other trapped men were successfully freed.

The two missing individuals, Bay, a teenager, and Lup, a 33-year-old man, are from the small village of Nampha, located a short distance from the cave site.

They reportedly entered the cave on 20 May at around 7pm to fossick for gold, following local rumours of deposits within the complex underground system.Their expedition was independent of the group of five men who were later rescued.

According to accounts from another villager, Keo Huangpasert, who also entered the cave that night, the conditions inside quickly became dangerous as rising water levels and narrow passages made escape difficult.Huangpasert managed to exit after a prolonged struggle, but the others were left behind as flooding intensified.Experts and divers, including international rescue teams, have since explored most accessible sections of the cave network.However, parts of the system remain fully flooded, leading rescuers to fear that survival in those areas would not have been possible.

Five survivors were initially located huddled on a rock and later self-rescued when pumping operations reduced water levels enough for them to exit without assistance.This unexpected development shifted attention to the remaining two missing men.Despite ongoing pumping efforts and extensive diving operations, no trace of Bay and Lup has yet been found.

Rescuers warn that time is running out as conditions inside the cave remain unstable and hazardous, with limited visibility and continued flooding hampering search efforts.