Ferry Sinking Off South Korean Coast, Over 470 People on Board
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - A passenger ferry with 475 people on board has capsized and sunk off the coast of South Korea, with two people declared dead. The vessel was carrying 338 students and teachers, all of whom have been rescued.
One person was found dead inside the sinking vessel, while the other died shortly after arriving at the emergency ward, Reuters reported.
There are conflicting reports about the total number of students and teachers on board. According to Reuters, a school official stated that 338 students and teachers were on board, all of whom have been rescued. However, other estimates put the number at anywhere between 110 to 160, pending further confirmation from the Coast Guard.
The high school students were on their way to Jeju Island as part of a school trip, according to Yonhap news agency.
The South Korea Coast Guard confirmed the vessel’s distress signal at 8:58 am local time on Wednesday. The signal was sent out about 20 kilometers off the island of Byungpoong.
Authorities have launched a rescue operation. Vice minister of security and public administration, Lee Gyeong-Og, told the BBC that there are 34 naval, coast guard, and civilian ships taking part in the rescue operation, along with 18 helicopters.
"The ship is taking in water and sinking," a coast guard spokesman told AFP. "We have coast guard vessels, commercial ships in the area, as well as helicopters all engaged in the rescue operation.”
There are reports that the ferry hit a reef during thick fog. YTN live footage shows the vessel almost completely underwater.
Rescuers were able to remove 197 passengers from the sinking ferry and take them to a nearby island, according to the Korean Herald. Shortly after the rescue, the rest of the passengers began jumping into the water after being told that the vessel was about to sink.
