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S Korea divers search sunken ship | |
(about 5 hours later) | |
South Korean divers have reached a warship that sank in mysterious circumstances on Friday after a blast. | South Korean divers have reached a warship that sank in mysterious circumstances on Friday after a blast. |
The divers tapped on the stern of the Cheonan, where some of the 46 missing crew members are believed to have been trapped, but heard no response. | The divers tapped on the stern of the Cheonan, where some of the 46 missing crew members are believed to have been trapped, but heard no response. |
The vessel sank close to the sea border with North Korea; South Korea says it is open-minded about the blast's cause. | |
But the country's defence minister said it could have been caused by a North Korean mine. | |
At the weekend, rescue officials said an explosion broke the ship into two. | |
Fifty-eight crewmen were saved but the others are missing. The authorities said they hoped they were trapped in underwater air pockets in the wreckage. | |
Rescue race | Rescue race |
A spokesman for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Lee Ki-shik, said divers had reached the sunken vessel. | |
Relatives of the missing have been demanding answers from officials | Relatives of the missing have been demanding answers from officials |
"There was no response when military divers knocked on the hull of the ship's rear," he told journalists. | |
"Divers went underwater several times, working in a very limited time of about seven to eight minutes each time, but failed to find any survivors." | |
Earlier attempts to reach the vessel had been hampered by strong currents and murky waters. | Earlier attempts to reach the vessel had been hampered by strong currents and murky waters. |
Yonhap news agency quoted officials as saying that parts of the ship were able to shut out water for a maximum of 69 hours. | Yonhap news agency quoted officials as saying that parts of the ship were able to shut out water for a maximum of 69 hours. |
South Korea President Lee Myung-bak urged rescuers not to give up hope of finding survivors and to investigate all possible causes of the sinking. | |
"Look into the causes of the incident thoroughly and leave no single piece of doubt behind," the AFP news agency quoted him as saying. | "Look into the causes of the incident thoroughly and leave no single piece of doubt behind," the AFP news agency quoted him as saying. |
Yonhap said 24 military vessels, with air support, were involved with the search. A US rescue vessel, with more than a dozen divers on board, has also joined the operation. | |
Relatives of those missing have angrily demanded progress and answers from officials. "We are running out of time," one woman told reporters. | |
Mine theory | Mine theory |
The 1,200-tonne Cheonan naval patrol vessel sank near the disputed maritime border with North Korea - the Northern Limit Line. | |
South Korea recognises the line, drawn unilaterally by the US-led United Nations Command to demarcate the sea border at the end of the Korean War. | South Korea recognises the line, drawn unilaterally by the US-led United Nations Command to demarcate the sea border at the end of the Korean War. |
But it has never been accepted by North Korea, and the area has been the scene of deadly clashes between the navies of the two Koreas in the past. | But it has never been accepted by North Korea, and the area has been the scene of deadly clashes between the navies of the two Koreas in the past. |
South Korean Defence Minister Kim Tae-young said the explosion could have been caused by an old North Korean wartime sea mine which drifted into southern waters. | |
"Though many mines were removed, it must have been impossible to retrieve them all," AFP quoted him as saying. | "Though many mines were removed, it must have been impossible to retrieve them all," AFP quoted him as saying. |
"Or we have to see whether North Korea has intentionally set a mine adrift," he added. | |
North Korea has made no official comment on the incident. | North Korea has made no official comment on the incident. |