As many as 300 people, mainly high school students, remain missing in the sinking of a ferry en route to a tourist island off the country’s southern tip. The BBC says that there are growing fears of a calamity worse than the Republic of Korea has seen in 30 years. The ferry was travelling from the port of Incheon, in the north-west, to the southern resort island of Jeju. A major rescue effort is under way, involving dozens of ships and helicopters. Those brought to safety were taken to a nearby island. Four people are now said to have died and dozens of others have been hurt. South Korean officials had earlier said that 368 people had been plucked to safety, but later said there had been a counting error. They have now revised down the number rescued to 164. Images showed the ferry listing at a severe angle and then later almost completely submerged, with only a small part of its hull visible. It sank within two hours of sending a distress signal, reports said.
