Five workers found trapped inside a collapsed gold mine tunnel reportedly survived by eating wooden gold-panning trays while waiting for rescuers to reach them.
The discovery emerged during the ongoing rescue operation at a gold mine tunnel in Long Cheng district, Xaisomboun province, Laos, where seven workers were left trapped after part of the tunnel collapsed.
A sign of hope came when rescuers managed to locate five of the missing workers.
The first survivor, identified as 23-year-old Thao Mued, was brought out safely on Friday, bringing relief to the rescue teams and the workers’ families.
Four others were freed yesterday after water was pumped out of the cavern.
Two workers are still missing.
Kengkard Bongkawong, also known as Ajarn Ting Li, head of the Metta Tham Kalasin rescue team and one of the Thai rescuers involved in the mission, posted on Facebook about how the five workers had managed to survive underground.
He said the trapped workers had eaten two trays made from wood used for gold panning to keep themselves alive.
The account drew widespread attention online, with many netizens praising Thai rescuers and sending encouragement.
One online commenter also offered an explanation of why the wood may have been used in an emergency.
The comment said wooden gold-panning trays are typically made from soft, light wood because they must be held by hand for long periods.
After being soaked in water, the wood may become softer and retain high moisture.
The commenter suggested that, in an extreme emergency, the soft wood could help reduce hunger and provide minimal energy. This was presented as an online explanation rather than official medical advice.
Health and rescue experts generally warn that people should not treat such actions as safe or advisable outside an emergency survival situation. — The Nation/ANN
