Laos cave operation locates 5 people, search group says, with 2 still missing

LONDON -- Five people have been located in a flooded cave in Laos, according to the head of a Thai rescue group invited to join emergency efforts by the government in Vientiane, with the search ongoing for two other people not yet found.

Kengkard Bongkawong, the head of operations for the Metta Tham Rescue group, said in a post to Facebook on Wednesday that the five people located were "in good health." 

"Search continues for 2 more," added Bongkawong, who has been posting regular video updates on the search to his Facebook page.

Laos and Thai rescue teams involved in the operation said that a group of villagers in the Xaisomboun province of central Laos went into the cave to look for gold on May 19, but heavy rain triggered flash flooding that blocked the exit, according to the Associated Press.

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Bounkham Luanglath, the leader of the Laos' Rescue Volunteer for People organization, told the Associated Press on Monday that one of the villagers escaped before the cave exit was blocked and alerted authorities to the incident.

According to the AP, those assisting the rescue operation included divers from several nations who took part in a complicated 2018 rescue in northern Thailand, when 12 schoolboys and their soccer coach were trapped for more than two weeks in a cave before being safely extricated.

ABC News' Will Gretsky contributed to this report.