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| S Korea ferry: Desperate search for survivors continues | S Korea ferry: Desperate search for survivors continues |
| (35 minutes 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. |
| Bad weather and strong currents have hampered military 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. | 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. | 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. |
| South Korean President Park Geun-hye on Thursday visited the scene of the disaster, as rescue work continued. | |
| Strong currents | Strong currents |
| 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. | 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". "If people had jumped into the water... they could have been rescued. But we were told not to go out." | |
| Some of those trapped managed to send text messages to their relatives. | |
| "Dad, don't worry. I'm wearing a life vest and am with other girls. We're inside the ship, still in the hallway," one girl told her father, AFP news agency reported. | |
| But in a subsequent message she said she could not get out. "The ship is too tilted. The hallway is crowded with so many people." | |
| 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, 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. | 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. |
| 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'. |