A passenger ferry, carrying more than 400 people, is sinking off the coast of South Korea. The ship has sent a distress signal and South Korean authorities have launched a rescue operation.
The South Korean Coast Guard on Wednesday dispatched patrol boats and aircraft to rescue the sinking ferry’s passengers, 325 of whom were high school students on their way to the island of Jeju, located some 100 kilometers (62 miles) off the Korean Peninsula’s southern coast.
“We have recovered one body from the ship so far,” a Coast Guard spokesman told the AFP news agency.
A total of 18 helicopters and 34 rescue boats have been deployed in the rescue operation, according to Lee Gyeong-Og, the vice minister of security and public administration. South Korean President Park Guen-Hye has ordered all availble assets to mobilize and aid the rescue effort.
Passengers were asked to put on life vests and jump ship, according to the Yonhap news agency. YTN television reported that least 100 passengers have already been rescued.
The reason for the ship capsizing remains unclear. Overnight, heavy fog was reported in the area, resulting in the cancellation of many ferry services to the island. But some news reports have said that visibility in the area is clear.
So far, no casualties have been reported.
slk/jm (AFP, dpa, reuters)
http://www.dw.de/passenger-ferry-sinks-off-south-korean-coast-with-hundreds-on-board/a-17571987