Five of the seven men trapped in the cave in the province of Xaisomboun have already been rescued.
The search continued for the two remaining men, but the operation has now been called off. Rescue work is considered too dangerous in the cave system, where the risk of landslides is high in many places. At the same time, the chances of finding the men alive are considered minimal.
"Everyone tried. We tried. I feel sorry for their families," says cave diver Lee Kian Lie.
However, food rations and survival supplies have been placed in selected locations in the hope that the men will find their way out on their own.
The seven men entered the cave system to search for gold, but became trapped when sudden torrential rains flooded the entrance.
