PHUKET: A speedboat ferry sank off Pattaya today, with 27 on board - most of them tourists - rescued. Two were later admitted to hospital, rescuers said.

Passengers had to don life jackets before jumping into the water, with the Awangboriboon Foundation then plucking the crew and passengers from the sea.

Most of the passengers were Korean, according to reports.

''We can confirm there are no people missing,'' a spokeswoman for the Pattaya Rescue Centre told Phuketwan.

The sinking came at 10.45am when the regular speedboat ferry between Larn island and Pattaya was holed and went down.

Initial reports said the vessel struck a rock or collided with another speedboat.

However, a second Rescue Centre spokesperson said that the S.Silver 17 sprang a leak and sank.

Passengers were forced to jump into the water. They were not wearing life jackets and had to put jackets on before jumping, the spokesperson said.

The speedboat, which usually takes 45 minutes on the trip from Larn island, sank about 100 metres off Bali Hai pier, south Pattaya.

A speedboat sank off Phuket in August while returning from Phi Phi. All the tourist passengers were rescued from the sea.