The bodies of two missing Chinese passengers aboard a capsized South Korean ferry were recovered by rescuers on Monday.

The two victims were identified as Chinese men on a list of dead passengers, which has risen to 87 after the 6,825-ton "Sewol" sank off South Korea's southwest coast Wednesday.

The Chinese embassy has confirmed that four Chinese nationals - two men a woman and a schoolgirl - were among the missing passengers aboard the ill-fated ship.

A total of 87 passengers have been officially listed as dead so far, 174 have been rescued and 215 are still missing.

The passengers aboard the ship included 325 students and 15 teachers from Danwon High School in Ansan, a Seoul suburb, which, according to the Chinese embassy, is home to a lot of Chinese people.