A scuba diver inspects a side of the Costa Concordia cruise ship, seen underwater after it ran aground off the west coast of Italy, at Giglio island. -Reuters Photo

ROME: Divers searching for survivors inside a stricken cruise ship off the Italian coast have found five more bodies, an official from Giglio Island said Tuesday.

“Scuba divers found five more bodies in the stern of the ship. They entered through holes made earlier in the day” with explosives, Cristiano Pellegrini told AFP.

“The bodies are being evacuated for the ship now,” he said. “We don't know if the are members of the crew or passengers,” he added.

Divers had used explosives to blow holes in the wreck of the Costa Concordia in the search for possible survivors and bodies.

Earlier Tuesday, authorities said 29 people remained missing after the ship hit rocks and keeled over off the picturesque island on Friday.

The death toll currently stands at 11. More than 4,200 people were on board the liner when it went down.