South Korea's coast guard says it is trying to rescue 192 people from a ferry that hit a rock in waters off the country's southwestern coast.

An official from the Korea Coast Guard says the prospects of rescue are good because the ferry isn't showing signs of flooding or losing balance despite Sunday's crash.

The official says four coast guard vessels and nearby civilian vessels are approaching the ferry for the rescue operation.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity, citing office rules.

The area is not far from where a ferry sank and killed more than 300 people in 2014, triggering a national outpouring of grief and soul-searching over lax safety standards.