Ferry sinking in South Korea: 295 people missing.
South Korean officials say up to 295 people remain missing after a ferry carrying 477 passengers and crew sank off the coast of the country on April 16.
The government had previously stated that 368 people had been rescued, but the South Korean coast guard said that only 180 had actually been saved.
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| The scene of the accident. (Photo: AFP/VNA) |
"Our official figure is 180. We don't know where the number 368 came from," a coast guard spokesperson told AFP.
So far, two fatalities have been confirmed.
The ferry, named SEWOL and weighing 6,825 tons, sent out a distress signal at 8:58 a.m. (Korean time) in the waters approximately 20km southwest of Byungpoong Island, South Korea.
The ferry was carrying a total of 476 passengers, including 325 students and 14 teachers from a high school in Ansan, Kyongki-do province, in northern South Korea, near Seoul, on a field trip from Incheon port to Jeju Island in southwestern South Korea.
According to the schedule, the ferry was supposed to depart from Incheon Port at 6:30 PM on April 15th; however, due to dense fog, it did not depart until 9:00 PM. It was expected to arrive at Jeju Island at 12:00 PM on April 16th, but the aforementioned accident occurred at 8:58 AM.
According to live television footage from the scene, the ferry tilted, then capsized and sank almost completely, with only the bow visible above the water.
The cause of the ferry sinking has not yet been determined.
According to Vietnam+
