High death toll feared
While 175 passengers and crew members of the sunken ferry “Sewol” have been rescued, 281 – many of them high school students – are still missing. Some survivors report that passengers were told to remain in their seats and may have stayed there until it was too late. Nine people are confirmed dead, including four students, two teachers and a crew member. The “Sewol” is now almost completely submerged and strong tides are keeping divers from entering the wreck. Meanwhile, anguished parents wait on nearby Jindo Island for more information.