SEOUL -- Two people were rescued and five others went missing after a vessel carrying cargo and cars capsized off western South Korea, Yonhap news agency said Monday, citing the coast guard.

It was reported at 6:26 pm local time (0926 GMT) that the 83-ton vessel with seven people aboard overturned in waters off Seosan, about 100 km southwest of the capital Seoul.

The coast guard rescued the two people standing on top of the capsized ship, but the other five remained unaccounted for.

The coast guard and the fire authorities mobilized patrol ships, airplanes and rescuers to search the waters around the scene of the accident.

The coast guard was investigating the exact cause of the accident.