Cave diver Josh Richards is back home after helping pull five trapped villagers from a flooded cave system in Laos — a mission he says pushed rescuers to their limits.
Richards landed safely in Adelaide this week, finally able to step away from the gruelling international operation that continues without him.
"I know that for me this is over — I’ll be able to decompress from here," he said. "But it’s a huge testament to the guys who’ve stayed on in order to do this because they’re continuing to put themselves at risk."
Rescue of the Trapped Villagers
Richards was among the first divers to reach the stranded group deep inside the Xaisomboun cave network, where seven villagers were trapped for 10 days after heavy rain triggered flash flooding and landslides that sealed the entrance.
He was there when the first man was freed late on Friday — cold, exhausted and covered in mud after surviving what rescuers described as a "claustrophobic hell."
"He was obviously very cold, very tired — but in very good condition," Richards told 7NEWS.
By Saturday evening, four more men were brought out in a multinational effort involving teams from at least five countries. The group had been surviving on small rock ledges deep inside the system, where rescuers passed them food, water and blankets and taught them how to use breathing gear for the dangerous journey out.
Video captured the moment the men stepped into daylight, greeted by cheers, clapping and visible relief from dozens of rescuers on the ground.
All five are now recovering in hospital.
Ongoing Search for Missing Men
But the mission is far from over. Two villagers remain missing, and worsening weather is making the search increasingly dangerous.
Richards says conditions underground have become even more treacherous and recent heavy rain and flash flooding has made the mission particularly challenging.
"As soon as it starts to rain, we see that water line rise very quickly," he said.
Sharp rocks, tight passages and rising water continue to threaten ropes, cables and air lines as rescuers push deeper into the system.
"Getting to that first chamber is essentially grinding your face through mud and water," Richards said.
Authorities in Laos say the search will continue as long as conditions allow.
