One was injured in the leg and is being treated in hospital. The rescue teams with helicopters and some commercial ships were involved to save people from the damaged ferry. They had jumped into the water before getting rescued. 34 naval, coastguard and civilian vessels participated in the rescue operation, along with 18 helicopters. The ship was finally almost completely submerged. The 6,825-tonne ferry bound for the southern resort island of Jeju. “We heard a big thumping sound and the boat stopped,” one passenger told the media. Hundreds of ferries are used between the South Korean mainland and its multiple offshore islands every day. Accidents are very rare but nearly 300 people died in October, 1993. It’s unclear yet what was the real cause for this one.
UPDATE: Of the passengers, 164 have been rescued, four died and 291 remain unaccounted for, officials said after many hours.
