South Korean navy shoots at ship to north

A news agency says a South Korean navy ship has fired shots at an unidentified ship.

South Korea's Yonhap news agency said late Friday that the navy ship fired shots toward North Korea.

The report comes as South Korean officials confirm that a navy ship is sinking off the west coast near the border with North Korea. There's no word yet on what caused the sinking.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) -- Officials say a South Korean navy ship is sinking off the country's west coast near the maritime border with North Korea.

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said late Friday that it's not clear what caused the ship to sink. A rescue operation is under way to save crew members on board.

Authorities say the ship began sinking around 10:45 p.m. (1345 GMT) in the Yellow Sea.