Ten people were missing after their rafts capsized today on a river in western Austria, police said.

Dozens of rescue workers were using boats and helicopters to search the Bregenzerach River in Austria's western province of Vorarlberg for the rafters, fire brigade spokesman Werner Blum told national broadcaster ORF.

The missing were part of a group of 65 rafters who had started their tour in eight boats around noon.

Police spokesman Egon Voegel told ORF that 25 rafters had landed in the river after their boats capsized due to turbulence and high water but 15 were immediately rescued.

Five of those pulled from the river had been taken to hospital, Blum said. Others were treated for minor injuries.

The nationalities of the rafters were not known.