9 Dead, 179 Rescued After Ferry Sinks In South Korea

At least 9 people have been confirmed to have died and 179 people have been rescued so far.

Most of the passengers on the ferry were students from Danwon High School.

The students, aged 16 and 17, were heading to a field trip to Jeju Island with about 15 teachers.

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.

South Korean President Park Geun-hye on Thursday visited the scene of the disaster as rescue work continued.

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.

Two cranes are being sent to raise the vessel, with both expected to arrive on Friday.

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.

The vessel – named Sewol – is reported to have a capacity of up to 900 people and is 146m (480ft) long.

By Angel Mboya

Source: BBC News