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S Korea ferry: Desperate search for survivors continues | S Korea ferry: Desperate search for survivors continues |
(about 2 hours later) | |
Emergency services are continuing to search for nearly 300 people missing after a ferry carrying more than 470 people sank off South Korea. | Emergency services are continuing to search for nearly 300 people missing after a ferry carrying more than 470 people sank off South Korea. |
Officials say 179 people have been rescued. Most of the passengers were students from the same high school. | Officials say 179 people have been rescued. Most of the passengers were students from the same high school. |
Teams used lights to search overnight but strong currents have hampered divers' efforts to enter the ship, where it is thought many were trapped. | Teams used lights to search overnight but strong currents have hampered divers' efforts to enter the ship, where it is thought many were trapped. |
At least nine people are confirmed to have died, with dozens more injured. | At least nine people are confirmed to have died, with dozens more injured. |
The vessel was travelling from Incheon port, in the north-west, to the southern resort island of Jeju. | The vessel was travelling from Incheon port, in the north-west, to the southern resort island of Jeju. |
It is not yet clear what caused the ship to list at a severe angle and flip over, leaving only a small part of its hull visible above water. | |
The captain was being questioned, Yonhap news agency reported. "I am really sorry and deeply ashamed. I don't know what to say," Lee Joon-seok was shown saying on television. | |
Yonhap said the nine dead include four 17-year-old students and a 25-year-old teacher as well as a 22-year-old female crew member. Identities of the other three were not immediately known. | Yonhap said the nine dead include four 17-year-old students and a 25-year-old teacher as well as a 22-year-old female crew member. Identities of the other three were not immediately known. |
The latest figures say 475 people were on board, with 287 still unaccounted for. Figures issued by the government have changed several times, prompting criticism. | The latest figures say 475 people were on board, with 287 still unaccounted for. Figures issued by the government have changed several times, prompting criticism. |
Strong currents | Strong currents |
Rescue efforts are concentrated on the ship, which sank in about 30m (100ft) of water. | Rescue efforts are concentrated on the ship, which sank in about 30m (100ft) of water. |
"We carried out underwater searches five times from midnight until early in the morning, but strong currents and the murky water pose tremendous obstacles," said Kang Byung-kyu, minister for security and public administration. | "We carried out underwater searches five times from midnight until early in the morning, but strong currents and the murky water pose tremendous obstacles," said Kang Byung-kyu, minister for security and public administration. |
One senior emergency official was quoted as saying it was unlikely the remaining passengers would be found alive. | One senior emergency official was quoted as saying it was unlikely the remaining passengers would be found alive. |
The US Navy has sent an amphibious assault ship, the USS Bonhomme Richard, to assist with the search. | The US Navy has sent an amphibious assault ship, the USS Bonhomme Richard, to assist with the search. |
Captain Joey Tynch told the BBC conditions were difficult. | Captain Joey Tynch told the BBC conditions were difficult. |
"We found ourselves in challenging weather conditions today - very low cloud ceilings and reduced visibility and rain, and we're working a search area around the site in close co-ordination with the South Korean on-scene commander," he said. | "We found ourselves in challenging weather conditions today - very low cloud ceilings and reduced visibility and rain, and we're working a search area around the site in close co-ordination with the South Korean on-scene commander," he said. |
Two cranes are being sent to raise the vessel, with both expected to arrive on Friday. | |
'Screaming and scrambling' | 'Screaming and scrambling' |
The ferry sent a distress call at around 09:00 local time (00:00 GMT) on Wednesday, about 20km (12 miles) off the island of Byungpoong. It sank within two hours, reports said. | The ferry sent a distress call at around 09:00 local time (00:00 GMT) on Wednesday, about 20km (12 miles) off the island of Byungpoong. It sank within two hours, reports said. |
At least 325 of the passengers on board the ship were students from Danwon high school in Ansan, near the capital, Seoul. | At least 325 of the passengers on board the ship were students from Danwon high school in Ansan, near the capital, Seoul. |
The students, aged 16 and 17, were heading on a field trip to Jeju island with about 15 teachers. | The students, aged 16 and 17, were heading on a field trip to Jeju island with about 15 teachers. |
Survivors say they heard a loud thud, before the boat began to shake and tilt. | Survivors say they heard a loud thud, before the boat began to shake and tilt. |
Some of the passengers managed to jump into the ocean, wearing life jackets, and swim to nearby rescue boats and commercial vessels. | Some of the passengers managed to jump into the ocean, wearing life jackets, and swim to nearby rescue boats and commercial vessels. |
But several survivors have said that they were told by crew members not to move. | But several survivors have said that they were told by crew members not to move. |
"We must have waited 30 to 40 minutes after the crew told us to stay put," one unnamed rescued student was quoted as saying by AFP news agency. | "We must have waited 30 to 40 minutes after the crew told us to stay put," one unnamed rescued student was quoted as saying by AFP news agency. |
"Then everything tilted over and everyone started screaming and scrambling to get out," he said. | "Then everything tilted over and everyone started screaming and scrambling to get out," he said. |
Koo Bon-hee, 36, told the Associated Press that the rescue was not "done well". | Koo Bon-hee, 36, told the Associated Press that the rescue was not "done well". |
"If people had jumped into the water... they could have been rescued. But we were told not to go out." | "If people had jumped into the water... they could have been rescued. But we were told not to go out." |
Police, meanwhile, were investigating a text message reportedly sent to a relative of a missing student claiming some passengers had survived in an air pocket, Yonhap news agency said. | |
Police said they had not ruled out the possibility that the message was a prank, the agency said. There are no verified reports of communication from inside the sunken ship. | |
South Korean President Park Geun-hye has expressed sadness over the incident, saying it was "truly tragic" that students on a field trip were involved in "such an unfortunate accident". | South Korean President Park Geun-hye has expressed sadness over the incident, saying it was "truly tragic" that students on a field trip were involved in "such an unfortunate accident". |
Kim Young-boong, an official from the company which owns the ferry, has apologised. | Kim Young-boong, an official from the company which owns the ferry, has apologised. |
The vessel - named Sewol - is reported to have a capacity of up to 900 people and is 146m (480ft) long. | The vessel - named Sewol - is reported to have a capacity of up to 900 people and is 146m (480ft) long. |
Correspondents say this could turn out to be South Korea's biggest maritime disaster for more than 20 years. | Correspondents say this could turn out to be South Korea's biggest maritime disaster for more than 20 years. |
Are you in the area? Do you have any information you would like to share? Please send us your comments. You can email us at haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk using the subject line 'South Korea ferry'. | Are you in the area? Do you have any information you would like to share? Please send us your comments. You can email us at haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk using the subject line 'South Korea ferry'. |