Body found in South Korean ferry as weather eases

Seoul: Divers found another body trapped in a sunken South Korean ferry today as the search for more than two dozen missing passengers resumed after strong winds and waves halted the effort for three days.

Searchers have found 276 bodies, and 28 passengers remain missing. Most of the victims were students from a single high school south of Seoul. Improved weather allowed the search to resume early today, government task force spokesman Ko Myung-seok said.

Nearly a month after the ferry sank, the search teams have been hampered by bad weather, floating debris inside the ship and, lately, the vessel’s deterioration. According to Ko, it has been difficult to enter some of the rooms because waterlogged walls have partially collapsed and blocked passages. Only 172 people, including 22 of the 29 crew members, survived the April 16 disaster. All 15 surviving crew members involved in the ferry’s navigation have been arrested on suspicion of negligence and failing to protect passengers.

An investigation team probing the ferry’s sinking formally arrested an employee of a private safety device inspection company yesterday. Prosecutor Yang Jung-jin said the employee is suspected of carrying out poor inspections on the ferry’s safety equipment.