Malaysian Cave Diver Recounts Toughest Rescue Mission In Laos
SEPANG (Selangor, Malaysia), June 9 (Bernama) -- A Malaysian cave diver who helped rescue five villagers trapped inside a partially flooded cave in Laos has described the operation as the most challenging mission of his nearly 13-year career.
For Lee Kian Lie, 48, the call to assist in the search and rescue (SAR) operation in Xaysomboun province, central Laos, was his first international rescue mission and one that tested both his physical and mental endurance.
The mission also saw him represent Malaysia alongside rescue teams from Laos, Thailand, Indonesia, France, Japan and Australia.
Lee, a member of the Malaysian Volunteer Cave Rescue Fire Brigade Association, said rescuers had to navigate narrow, muddy passages with limited oxygen while facing the constant threat of rising water levels that could leave them trapped inside the cave.
“The passages were extremely narrow, oxygen levels were low and the cave could flood easily. Anyone entering risked becoming trapped.
“We always had to be prepared for that possibility. Whenever we entered the cave, we carried some food and spare clothing in case we had to remain inside longer than expected,” he told Bernama after arriving home early on Tuesday.
The Tawau-born diver said the operation ran around the clock, with rescuers working tirelessly to locate the victims.
Upon arriving in Laos on May 28, he was flown directly from the airport to the operation site by helicopter, with little opportunity to rest.
“I did not have the chance to sleep. As soon as I arrived from Kuala Lumpur, I was taken straight to the site. We had a place to rest near the cave, but the operation schedule was unpredictable. Once the equipment was checked and everyone was ready, we went in,” said Lee, who spent 10 days in Laos.
He said the most relieving moment came when rescuers located the five missing villagers, although determining the safest way to bring them out proved to be the greatest challenge.
One victim had to be rescued through a dangerous dive in an extremely confined passage, while the remaining four managed to exit after water levels inside the cave were lowered.
“That dive was particularly dangerous because the space was very narrow and the victim had no diving experience.
“The distance from the cave entrance to the first chamber was about 250 to 300 metres, and a similar distance separated each chamber until chamber five, where the victims were found,” he said.
Despite the successful rescue, Lee admitted feeling disappointed that two other missing villagers could not be located.
The Malaysia Cave Diving Association (MCDA) member said the operation demonstrated that Malaysian expertise in technical cave diving is capable of matching international standards in high-risk rescue missions.
As a gesture of appreciation, villagers held a special ceremony in which they tied string bracelets on the wrists of rescue team members.
“All the villagers thanked the rescue team, and each of them tied a string bracelet on our wrists,” said Lee, who was still wearing the bracelet when he returned home.
On June 6, it was reported that rescuers had officially ended the SAR operation to locate the two remaining villagers who were still missing in the partially flooded cave.
The incident began on May 20 when seven villagers became trapped inside a cave in Long Chaeng district after a flash flood struck while they were hunting bats and searching for gold in a former mining area.
The cross-border rescue operation successfully saved five survivors, with one brought out on May 29 and four others guided to safety the following day after water levels dropped.
-- BERNAMA
