Rome, Jan 14 (IANS) Two people were killed after a luxury cruise ship carrying more than 4,000 ran aground off the Italian coast Friday, prompting a major rescue operation that is still underway.

The Costa Concordia had left the port of Savona at 7 p.m. at the start of a seven-day cruise of the Mediterranean. After just two hours, the ship grounded to a halt off the Tuscan coast.

Italian authorities immediately dispatched rescuers to the scene as passengers were ordered to put on life vests and man life boats as the ship began to tilt heavily to one side, Xinhua reported quoting the local media Saturday.

There were reports of people having jumped into the water and the ANSA news agency is reporting that at least two people have died in the incident.