The death toll on South Korea’s ferry sinking disaster rose to 171 on Thursday.
But those recovered from the sunken ferry grew at a relatively slower pace as search operations were hampered by unexpectedly swift currents.
On ninth day into the search, 12 more bodies were retrieved from the submerged vessel on Wednesday, raising the total death toll to 171.
The number of missing persons was 131, with those rescued remaining at 174.
On Wednesday alone, 38 bodies were discovered from the submerged vessel, while 36 people were found on Tuesday and 28 others retrieved on Monday.
Rescue operations were suspended for about six hours in the afternoon as tidal currents near the sunken vessel became faster than expected.
Some 40 family members of the victims visited the office of the government-wide disaster response headquarters at around 1pm to protest against the sluggish rescue operations.
Weather forecast showed that tidal currents near Jindo Island, where the 6,825-tonne ferry, Sewol, capsized and sank on April 16, would become slower for four days from Monday.
Divers were known to have begun plunging into the waters at about 3pm to enter the vessel and search for bodies.
Possible survivors are believed to be trapped in passenger cabins on the third and fourth floors of the five-story ship.
Divers became fatigued due to the protracted underwater operations.
Around 700 coast guard navy, Special Forces, fire fighting and private divers were conducting search operations in the tough and murky waters, the coast guard said.
Xinhu/NAN.
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