Search goes on as 280 still missing in ferry

Parents of hundreds of missing teenagers aboard the stricken ferry off the coast of South Korea hired rescue boats to join the search overnight as hopes of finding survivors faded.

Nearly 340 of the 462 aboard the Sewol ferry are believed to have been from the same high school near the capital Seoul, on their way to Jeju island for a field trip.

Some 280 people remained missing last night despite a frantic, hours-long rescue by dozens of ships and helicopters. Some families accused the rescue operation of being botched and chose to join the search themselves.

Officials say 174 people were rescued from the ship. Dozens were injured and at least six were confirmed as dead.

The high number of people unaccounted for — likely trapped in the ship or floating in the ocean — could make it one of South Korea’s biggest ferry disasters since 1993, when 292 people died.

One student, Lim Hyung-min, told broadcaster YTN that he and other students jumped into the ocean wearing life jackets and then swam to a rescue boat.

“As the ferry was shaking and tilting, we all tripped and bumped into each other,” Lim said, adding that some people were bleeding. Once he jumped, the ocean “was so cold… I was hurrying, thinking that I wanted to live.”

Television stations broadcast live pictures of the ship, Sewol, listing to its side and slowly sinking as passengers jumped out or were winched up by helicopters.

At least 87 vessels and 18 aircraft swarmed around the stricken ship. Rescuers clambered over its sides, pulling out passengers wearing life jackets. But the ship overturned completely and continued to sink slowly. Within a few hours, only its blue-and-white bow stuck out of the water.

Some 160 coast guard and navy divers searched for survivors inside the ship’s wreckage located near Byeongpung Island, which is close to the mainland and about 470km from Seoul.

Cho Man-yong, a coast guard spokesman, said 16 divers approached the ferry, but failed to get inside because the current was too strong.

“We cannot give up,” said South Korean president Park Geun-hye. “We have to do our best to rescue even one passenger.”

Three hours from its destination, the ferry sent a distress call after it began listing to one side. Officials said they don’t know what caused it to sink.