First man rescued from flooded Laos cave after more than a week

The first of five men found alive after spending more than a week trapped inside a flooded cave in Laos has been freed.

The group had been hunting for gold when they were cut off inside the cavern in an isolated part of the country after flash floods hit on 20 May.

Five were discovered alive on Wednesday when rescue divers found them huddled together 300m (984ft) from the cave mouth. Two other men are still missing.

On Friday one of the divers put a picture on Facebook showing a man being dragged to safety.…