South Korea calls off search for sailors
Source: Agencies |
April 5, 2010, Monday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
SOUTH Korea started work yesterday to salvage a navy ship that sank following a mysterious explosion near the sea border with North Korea, hours after ending its underwater hunt for dozens of sailors on board, officials said.
Families of the sailors asked the military to suspend the operation for fear of additional casualties among divers as chances of finding survivors grew increasingly unlikely after Saturday's discovery of one of the 46 sailors' bodies.
Civilian companies were commissioned to salvage the 1,200-ton Cheonan while military ships will continue searching the ocean surface for debris and bodies, according to the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
A large civilian recovery crane has arrived at the site of sinking while another crane was on its way, a navy officer said.
It was expected to take at least 15 days to lift up the wreckage of the ship, which exploded on March 26 and sank a few hours later during a routine patrol.
Fifty-eight crew members, including the captain, were rescued soon after.
No cause has been determined for the blast and, despite some speculation, there has been no confirmation of North Korean involvement in the sinking.
On Saturday, divers discovered the body of a senior chief petty officer in the ship's rear area, the first of the missing sailors to be found.
One military diver died last week after falling into unconsciousness during a rescue operation.
A South Korean fishing boat that participated in the search operation went missing on Friday, with two people confirmed dead.
Families of the sailors asked the military to suspend the operation for fear of additional casualties among divers as chances of finding survivors grew increasingly unlikely after Saturday's discovery of one of the 46 sailors' bodies.
Civilian companies were commissioned to salvage the 1,200-ton Cheonan while military ships will continue searching the ocean surface for debris and bodies, according to the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
A large civilian recovery crane has arrived at the site of sinking while another crane was on its way, a navy officer said.
It was expected to take at least 15 days to lift up the wreckage of the ship, which exploded on March 26 and sank a few hours later during a routine patrol.
Fifty-eight crew members, including the captain, were rescued soon after.
No cause has been determined for the blast and, despite some speculation, there has been no confirmation of North Korean involvement in the sinking.
On Saturday, divers discovered the body of a senior chief petty officer in the ship's rear area, the first of the missing sailors to be found.
One military diver died last week after falling into unconsciousness during a rescue operation.
A South Korean fishing boat that participated in the search operation went missing on Friday, with two people confirmed dead.
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