Death Toll From Sunken South Korean Ferry Nears 60
Rescue divers entered the ferry Sunday to begin the recovery process, with more than 240 people still believed to be inside.
South Korean divers have entered the sunken ferry to recover more bodies, as the death toll reached 58 Sunday with 246 still unaccounted for. Most of the victims are high school students. Hundreds of divers, including civilian volunteers, have battled strong undercurrents and poor visibility to enter the submerged ferry, which went down Wednesday with 476 people on board off the southwestern island of Jindo. The Coast Guard said divers were able to smash through a ship's window late Saturday to recover the first bodies in what is expected to be a long and grim recovery operation. There are only 174 known survivors, with no one rescued since Wednesday. Tracking data shows the ship took a sharp turn while navigating a group of small islands off the southwestern coast. South Korean prosecutors say the ferry was being steered by a 26-year-old third mate who was navigating the area for the first time. Authorities have confirmed that the ship's captain was in his quarters, leaving the inexperienced third mate at the helm. The captain, the third mate and one other crew member were arrested Saturday on charges of deserting their passengers as the ferry was sinking. South Korea's Yonhap news agency says the captain is also suspected of instructing passengers to remain seated, even as the ferry began rolling onto its side, blocking escape routes. Authorities have not established the cause of the disaster, but some survivors report hearing a loud impact noise before the vessel tilted and began sinking. On Friday, Yonhap quoted investigators as saying the ferry's sudden turn may have caused 180 vehicles and nearly 1,200 tons of freight to shift, causing the vessel to list to one side.