<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>After more than a week trapped in an </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/laos-cave-rescue-rescuers-hopeful-they-can-pull-villagers-flooded-cave-soon/74cc35b4-d3ca-4d65-b758-7df3f83e9ffe" rel="" target="" title="underground cave in Laos, five villagers have finally been freed"><span>underground cave in Laos, five villagers have finally been freed</span></a><span>.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The difficult and dangerous operation is still going, with two people still missing.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/south-australia" rel="" target="" title="South Australian"><span>South Australian</span></a><span> cave diver Josh Richards joined the international rescue effort and told 9News some conditions were more intense than he anticipated.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/mudgee-police-station-man-arrested-new-south-wales-news/6b8820ab-eb07-4802-9a4c-5c42086f4203" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Retiring police officer the target of man's car, court hears</span></strong></a><strong><span></span></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"The section between the entrance to the first chamber is so low that I had to take my helmet off to get through and I'm squeezing my face through mud while my head grinds along the roof, in order to get through," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"So yeah, it's pretty full on."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Eight villagers entered the remote caves in search of gold 11 days ago.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/laos-cave-rescue-australian-expert-helps-rescue-five-villagers/e05cd962-1ceb-4ad7-8771-17e51c2ecdf6" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Seven of them were trapped deep underground after heavy rain flooded the cabins.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>On Friday, 23-year-old Mued was the first to be rescued, emerging exhausted but relieved.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/wa-weather-unusually-strong-system-could-bring-destructive-winds-heavy-falls-and-localised-tornadoes-for-western-australia/6bcc2234-b7b7-472d-9f48-6ed97e3c4e59" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Perth braces for historic storm as destructive wind and rain batter WA</span></strong></a><strong><span></span></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We were resting on the surface when suddenly we got news one of them was coming out," Richards said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"He's in good spirits, he's healthy he was looking healthy last night."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A day later, four other men remain trapped about 350 metres into the cave were also freed.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The rescue operation was a delicate one with wetsuits were transported through the cave to the men, who were then shown how to use the diving equipment needed to evacuate.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/sunshine-west-man-hit-twice-by-car-during-alleged-wild-brawl-on-melbourne-footpath/5379da6b-0365-4642-a796-f8a0152bc6b1" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Man hit twice by car during alleged wild brawl on Melbourne footpath</span></strong></a><strong><span></span></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It's very, very tight, and it's full of water" Richards explained.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"My role is going to be to try and reduce the risks, make this tunnel wider, so that the last four that we've got in this chamber have a greater chance of success."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>And time was of the essence.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/videos/national/monster-fish-caught-off-south-australia/cmps4a0vr003j0hqc3iqz05rh" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Monster fish caught off South Australia</span></strong></a><strong><span></span></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"The longer we wait the weaker they will get and the greater the chance that we have rain that causes flooding," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>It was dark difficult and dangerous work that ultimately proved successful.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The search for the two others missing is set to continue as long as it's safe to do so.</span></div></div>