Aussie diver on ‘pretty full on’ operation to free trapped villagers

The difficult and dangerous operation is still ongoing and two people are still missing.

“The area between the entrance to the first chamber is so low that I had to take off my helmet to get through and I was squeezing my face through the mud with my head crunching on the roof to get through,” he said.

“So yeah, it’s pretty packed.”

Eight villagers entered the remote caves eleven days ago in search of gold.

Seven of them were trapped deep underground after heavy rain flooded the huts.

On Friday, 23-year-old Mued was the first to be rescued. He emerged exhausted but relieved.

“We were resting on the surface when suddenly we got the news that one of them was coming out,” Richards said.

“He’s in good spirits, he’s healthy and he looked healthy last night.”

A day later, four other men were trapped about 350 meters deep in the cave and were also released.

The rescue operation was a delicate operation that involved carrying wetsuits through the cave to the men, who were then shown how to use the diving equipment needed to evacuate.

“It’s very, very tight and it’s full of water,” Richards explained.

“My role will be to try to reduce the risks, make this tunnel wider so that the last four that we have in this room have a greater chance of success.”

And time was of the essence.

“The longer we wait, the weaker they become and the more likely we are to get rain that causes flooding,” he said.

It was dark, difficult and dangerous work that ultimately proved successful.

The search for the two other missing people will continue as long as it is safe to do so.