The Big Update

Five men are out. Two are still inside — or unaccounted for — and nobody is celebrating until that number hits zero.

On Saturday, four more Lao nationals were freed from the flooded cave system in Xaisomboun province, roughly 120 kilometers north of the capital Vientiane, according to The Guardian and the NY Post. This came one day after the first survivor was guided out Friday night in a 30-minute extraction that left him gasping, unsteady on his feet, and visibly injured.

All five rescued men were wrapped in foil blankets, placed on stretchers with oxygen masks, and loaded into ambulances. One was photographed smiling on his stretcher. CNN's team witnessed the ambulance convoy firsthand.

How They Got Out

The water level inside the cave receded enough on Saturday that the four remaining men were able to walk and crawl out largely on their own, guided by divers who had gone in to deliver food and water. Rescue Volunteer for People, the Lao volunteer group, confirmed this on Facebook.

They were NOT dragged through flooded tunnels unconscious in the way the 2018 Thai cave boys were. They moved under their own power — a meaningful distinction about their physical condition after 10-plus days underground.

The four men had been found on Wednesday, crouched on a rocky ledge inside a chamber about 300 meters from the cave entrance, according to The Guardian. Rescuers supplied them with water, soft food, and foil blankets while conditions were assessed. They sat there for three more days before the water dropped enough to move.

What We Know About the Missing Two

All four sources confirm two people remain unaccounted for. None of them gives their names or last known location inside the cave.

The five who were found alive were identified by The Independent as Khamla, Mued, Ee, Ing, and Laen. The two missing men have NOT been publicly named in any source reviewed.

Thai cave diver Kengkaj Bongkawong of Metta Tham Rescue Kalasin confirmed the rescues via Facebook post but noted teams faced unspecified "issues" inside the cave — The Guardian's sourcing cut off before the full quote. International teams are now draining more water from the cave system and crawling through narrow passageways with poor visibility and sharp rocks trying to locate the two missing men.

The International Team Behind This

Divers from Thailand, Finland, France, Indonesia, Malaysia, Japan, and Australia joined the mission, according to the NY Post. Thai volunteers were first on the scene last Sunday. Multiple members of this team were also part of the 2018 Tham Luang rescue — the 17-day operation that freed 12 boys and their soccer coach from a flooded mountain cave in northern Thailand, which became a worldwide news event.

Those veterans brought hard-won expertise to Xaisomboun. Flash flooding at the Laos site carried sand and gravel into the cave, blocking the men's exit — a similar dynamic to what complicated the 2018 operation.

Coverage Gaps

CNN's live update format prioritized speed but downplayed the key operational detail: the men essentially self-evacuated once water levels allowed it. Most headlines implied a more dramatic active rescue than what actually happened on Saturday. The NY Post's coverage was clean and fast but also skimmed past the self-evacuation angle.

A broader question has gone largely unexamined: Why were seven civilians prospecting for gold in a cave system prone to flash flooding, and did anyone warn them? The Independent notes they were searching for "valuable minerals such as gold ore." This appears to be subsistence or informal economy activity. No source has asked whether there are any safety regulations governing informal mining in Xaisomboun province, or whether local authorities had any responsibility here.

What Happens Next

The search for the two missing men continues. Rescue teams are draining water deeper into the cave system. The terrain is narrow passageways, muddy water, sharp rocks, and poor visibility.

Thai diver Norrased Palasing said on Facebook before the Saturday evacuations: "One person has made it out safely and we'll not stop until the remaining four make it home too." All four of those men are now home. The mission isn't over.

Five families got their people back this weekend. Two families are still waiting.