Flooded cave, zero visibility: Expert explains the dangerous search for 7 missing in Laos

Rescuers are racing against time to save seven villagers trapped inside a flooded cave in Laos. The group entered the cave, about 125km northeast of Vientiane, on May 20 in search of gold before heavy rains triggered flash floods, blocking the exit. Rescue teams, including cave experts from Thailand and Finland who took part in the dramatic 2018 Thai cave rescue, are now navigating the dangerous underground system – a maze of narrow passages and multiple levels stretching more than 100m deep. Professor Julien Louys from Griffith University tells CNA’s Asia Now that fast-flowing muddy water, near-zero visibility and constantly changing cave conditions make the operation incredibly challenging and risky. The certified scientific cave diver says conditions in flooded caves are capable of turning “from bad to very, very bad in a matter of seconds". Subscribe to our channel here: https://cna.asia/youtubesub Visit our website: https://cna.asia Download our app: https://cna.asia/app Get our editors' picks of stories via chat apps: Telegram: https://cna.asia/telegram WhatsApp: https://cna.asia/whatsapp Follow us on these platforms: https://www.facebook.com/channelnewsasia https://www.instagram.com/channelnewsasia https://www.tiktok.com/@channelnewsasia