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S Korea rescue for sinking ferry with 450 passengers

2014-04-16 10:08 Agencies Web Editor: Wang Fan
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South Korea despatched coastguard vessels and helicopters Wednesday to rescue around 450 passengers -- mostly high school students -- on a ferry sinking off the southern coast, officials said.

South Korean rescue agency officials discuss about rescue operation on Wednesday, April 16, 2014. [Photo/IC]
South Korean rescue agency officials discuss about rescue operations on Wednesday, April 16, 2014. [Photo/IC]

"The ship is taking in water and sinking," a coastguard spokesman told AFP by phone.

"There are around 450 people on board and we have coastguard vessels, commercial ships in the area, as well as helicopters all engaged in the rescue operation," the spokesman said.

Earlier reports had put the number of people on board at 350.

Most of the passengers were believed to be high school students on a trip to the southern resort island of Jeju.

A passenger ship carrying some 450 people on board is sinking in waters off South Korea's southwest coast on Wednesday, April 16, 2014. [Photo/IC]
A passenger ship carrying some 450 people on board is sinking in waters off South Korea's southwest coast on Wednesday, April 16, 2014. [Photo/IC]

The Yonhap news agency cited rescue agency officials as saying 130 passengers had already been taken off the stricken ferry, which ran into trouble 20 kilometers (13 miles) off the southern coast.

"We heard a big thumping sound and the boat stopped," one passenger told the YTN news channel by telephone.

"The boat is tilting and we have to hold on to something to stay seated," the passenger said.

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