A large passenger ship carrying 477 people has overturned and sunk off the southwest coast of South Korea. Most of the passengers were high school students travelling on a school trip. Two passengers are known to have died. The ship completely overturned in the water.

2 dead, 290 missing as ship sinks off S. Korea coast

Yonhap news agency reports a number of naval ships and helicopters are taking part in the rescue operation.

The South Korean passenger ship, called the "SEWOL", sent a distress signal from off the coast of Jindo Island at around 8:55 a.m. local time on Wednesday.

The school students were on their way to the southern resort island of Jeju.

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