Circulating image of Laos cave rescue is AI-generated
- Published on June 3, 2026 at 11:12
- 2 min read
- By Chayanit ITTHIPONGMAETEE, AFP Thailand
As an international team worked to free seven men trapped inside a semi-flooded cave in Laos in May 2026, an AI-generated image was passed off online as an authentic depiction of the moment some of the survivors were rescued. The circulating visual depicts rescuers from a Thai foundation, which told AFP it did not send volunteers to the site, while an analysis using Google's SynthID detector found the picture was likely created using the company's AI tools.
"They looked hungry and exhausted from lack of food, but all five of them are in good health," reads a Thai-language Facebook post shared on May 28.
The attached image shows emergency workers wearing uniforms marked with the name of Thailand's Ruamkatanyu Foundation handing water and supplies to men sheltering inside a cave (archived link).
The post has garnered more than 3,200 reactions and over 100 shares.
The image surfaced elsewhere on Facebook and Instagram a day after a rescue team announced five of the seven men trapped in the cave in Laos had been found alive (archived link).
The villagers were reportedly searching for gold in Laos' central Xaysomboun province on May 20 when they were stranded by flash floods.
AFP reported that rescuers from Laos and several countries -- including Thailand -- were searching for alternative entry points to find the two missing men (archived link).
Comments on the posts indicate many users believed the image was genuine.
"Seeing this is truly touching. It shows the kindness of those giving help and those receiving it," one user said.
"They were fortunate to have strong bodies from doing hard work. That's probably why they were able to endure this situation. If they hadn't been used to such tough work, they likely wouldn't be sitting there smiling like that," another comment read.
However, the image is inauthentic.
A representative for the Ruamkatanyu Foundation told AFP in a phone call on June 3 that the organisation did not have volunteers during the operation, contrary to the image's depiction of the rescuers.
"We didn't send anyone to the cave in Laos," the representative said.
"The last time we did send volunteers for a cave rescue was the Nang Non Cave in Chiang Rai," they added, referring to the extraordinary cave rescue in 2018 when 12 boys and their soccer coach were successfully rescued after being trapped for over two weeks (archived link).
Footage filmed by Thai cave diver Norrased Palasing -- and distributed by AFP -- also showed rescue divers were wearing different equipment and uniforms.
AFP analysed the image using Google's SynthID detection tool, which indicated there was a "very high" confidence it was created using the company's AI tools (archived link).
More of our reporting on AI-powered misinformation can be found here.
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