South Korean ferry disappears under the water completely

Photo: AP photo

South Korean ferry disappears under the water completely. 52619.jpeg

On April 18, South Korean ferry Sewol that crashed near the island of Jeju, disappeared under the water completely.

Rescuers managed to get inside the vessel with the use of air supply hoses. The  weather conditions for the rescue operation are unfavorable. There are also strong underwater currents and poor visibility. According to the military, robotic appliances are used to penetrate into the cabins of the vessel.

The search and rescue operations involve 170 vessels of South Korean Coast Guard and Navy, including 550 divers. Earlier, an amphibious assault ship of the Seventh Fleet of the U.S. Navy, Bonhomme Richard, joined the search.

The ferry was traveling between the port of Incheon and Jeju Island. The boat left the port of Incheon on Tuesday at around 16:00 MSK, and on Wednesday, at 08:58,  the boat transmitted a distress signal and started to sink. There were the total of 459 people on board, including 324 students, who went on a boat trip with their teachers.