Four villagers in central Laos have managed to free themselves from a flooded cave, a day after another man was rescued.

CNN described their efforts as “breathtaking” and “an ending that nobody saw coming”.

The five are among seven Lao nationals who had entered the cave in Xaisomboun province searching for gold, but were trapped for more than a week when rising water blocked their exit. ‌Two others ‌are still missing.

Specialist divers were working out how to free the four men when they suddenly emerged from the cave mouth.

Video footage showed the men exiting the ⁠cave with flashlights strapped to their ‌heads ​and muddy clothes.

They had joyful expressions on their faces, ​and some were crying ‌with relief.

The five rescued people were found by rescuers ​on Wednesday, but had remained trapped.

Rescue officials said they would continue searching for the two missing people.

A team of ​volunteers ​from neighbouring Thailand joined ​the rescue efforts last Sunday and further ‌reinforcements, including divers from Finland, France, Indonesia, Malaysia, Japan and Australia, have also joined the rescue operation, the volunteer group posted on Facebook.

The international rescue team included some members who were involved in ​the 17-day rescue at the flooded mountain cave of Tham Luang ​in northern Thailand ⁠in 2018.

In a video shot on Friday, just about an hour before the evacuation of the first man began, Bongkawong detailed the challenge the rescuers are facing in the operation.

The team has set up a station in a large chamber inside the cave, accessible only by navigating more than 200m of twisting, narrow, flooded passages with jagged walls. From there, divers need to dive through a flooded tunnel about 30m before reaching the trapped men.

“To dive in a cave, there are issues with the temperature, narrow areas, control of movement, and managing the panic of the survivor, which will be difficult, but we have to do it,” Bongkawong said.

Australian cave diver Josh Richards assisted with the rescue operation. He told The Guardian rescuers were dealing with unstable clay and mud walls.

“That mud and clay also [affects] the water; you’re essentially diving in coffee. You’re not going to be seeing anything through it.

“It’s all being done by touch and feel, following the lines that have been laid through the mine.”

-with AAP