ROME (AFP) - Two seamen died and four more were missing, feared drowned, after a Turkish-registered merchant ship sank off Italy Sunday following a collision with another vessel in rough seas, coastguards said.

The two victims were part of a crew of 11 Turkish nationals aboard the ship when it collided with another, Belize-registered, vessel in storm conditions about two km off the port of Ravenna on Italy's Adriatic coast.

The accident occurred as Italy was attempting to coordinate the evacuation of hundreds of passengers and crew from a stricken ferry off the Greek island of Corfu, in the south of the Adriatic.

The ferry had been destined for the Italian port of Ancona when a fire broke out on board.