Diver who helped save soccer team in Thailand holds out hope miners trapped in Laos cave are still alive
CBS News • • world
Key Points:
- Seven artisanal gold miners have been trapped for a week in a remote, hand-dug mine in central Laos after early monsoon rains caused a collapse about 200 yards inside the tunnel.
- Finnish diver Mikko Paasi, known for his role in the 2018 Thai cave rescue, is leading the high-risk underwater operation in pitch-black, narrow tunnels with zero visibility and limited oxygen.
- The mine's claustrophobic conditions, including tight passages too narrow to turn around and unstable ceilings, make the rescue extremely dangerous and slow-moving.
- Rescuers have established infrastructure such as wifi, electricity, pumps, and a 2.5-mile access road carved by villagers to support the operation.
- Despite challenges like hypothermia, carbon dioxide poisoning, and limited supplies for the miners, rescuers remain hopeful they are alive, though extracting incapacitated miners may be impossible due to safety risks.