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.