Seoul:
South Korea's Coast Guard rescued all 15 crewmembers of a ferry that capsized during rough weather conditions off the country's southwestern coast, local media reported.
The ship had been tossed about by strong winds and waves of up to five metres (16 feet) high, before taking in sea water during the incident on Sunday, according to Yonhap news agency.
The vehicles onboard moved to one side causing the ferry to flip over.
Yonhap quoted authorities in Sinan County, 410 kilometres (255 miles) south of Seoul, as saying one of its cutters successfully rescued the 15 people who were on board the ferry.
They included several teachers, truck drivers and the ferry crew.
When the Coast Guard cutter arrived on the scene, the 495-ton ferry had capsized and seven of its passengers were already in the water, with the rest standing on top of the upturned vessel, Yonhap said.