South Korea on Thursday accelerated its desperate search for almost 300 people – many of them schoolchildren – still missing after a ferry crash amid rising anger from grieving families over the conduct of the rescue operation.
Coastguard and navy divers were exploring the waters at the site of the accident, about 20km off the country’s southwest coast as they searched for 287 people still missing 24 hours after the Korean ferry capsized. The operation was hampered by strong tides and poor visibility.
The official death toll rose to nine but many fear the sinking of the Sewol ferry could become the country’s worst maritime accident in two decades as hopes of finding any more survivors fade.