Jindo, South Korea (CNN) — Philippine navy divers retrieved more bodies Monday from inside a ferry that sank last week after colliding with a cargo ship.
The discovery of more victims’ remains brought the number of people confirmed dead from the disaster in the southern Philippines to 49, the Philippine Coast Guard said.
Photo Courtesy: CNN
Relatives of missing passengers aboard the capsized South Korean ferry gave out DNA samples Saturday as rescuers conducted more dives into the wreckage.
Divers made their way Saturday to the third deck inside the wreckage, where they found three bodies, according to the South Korean coast guard.
They recovered two during a dive later that day. Attempts were under way to get the others.
Medical staff collected DNA samples from relatives inside a tent in Jindo
As the rescuers scramble to retrieve the bodies, details are trickling in about what happened the day the ferry capsized.
Capt. Lee Joon Seok defended his order to delay the evacuation of his sinking ferry, CNN affiliate YTN reported early Saturday.
Lee was charged with abandoning his boat, negligence, causing bodily injury, not seeking rescue from other ships and violating “seamen’s law,” state media reported.
Photo Courtesy: CNN
More ships, aircraft
Hopes of finding the missing alive dimmed further when the entire boat became submerged Friday. Until then, part of the ship’s blue-and-white hull was still poking out of the frigid waters of the Yellow Sea.
The coast guard said workers continued to pump air into the hull of the submerged ship, but could not stop its descent. The ferry boat sank 10 meters (33 feet) farther below the surface of the Yellow Sea overnight, Maritime Police told CNN Saturday.
South Korean officials said Saturday they are sending in 176 ships, 28 aircraft and 652 divers to take part in the search and rescue efforts.
AKA John Galt
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