Salvage of Sunken Vessel Will Take Time
By Na Jeong-ju
Staff Reporter
The military is stepping up operations to salvage the Cheonan, the 1,200-ton ship that sank near the inter-Korean maritime border in the West Sea Friday night, but the recovery may take a few weeks due to bad weather conditions, officials said Sunday.
A 79-member ship salvage unit from the Navy reached the area early Sunday to search for missing sailors and locate the wreckage, but backed out just minutes after diving due to rough waves and low water temperature, said Won Tae-jae, spokesman of the Ministry of National Defense.
The Navy dispatched two 730-ton vessels and the 3,000-ton ship Gwangyang in the afternoon as part of the rescue operation, but no progress has been reported yet.
Military officials said an explosion might have taken place in the rear of the Cheonan, shutting off the engine and taking the ship down in less than three hours.
However, it appears to be impossible to find the exact cause until the wreckage is thoroughly investigated.
"We can only tell what caused the explosion after investigating the sunken ship," Won said, refraining from any comments suggesting a North Korean attack.
It is not yet clear when the sunken ship will be raised to the surface. The officials said the salvage operation may take a few weeks due to rough tides and low visibility in the water.
"What's most important at this stage is to find the missing sailors as quickly as possible and comfort the families of victims," President Lee Myung-bak said during the fourth emergency meeting of security-related ministers following the tragedy.
"It is meaningless to talk about the exact cause until an investigation is complete. We need to wait with patience."
Lee ordered the military to provide all available information on the tragedy and search operations to the public, according to Park Sun-kyoo, a presidential spokesman.
Prime Minister Chung Un-chan called on each ministry Sunday to fully support the military's efforts to locate the sunken ship and try their best to relieve public anxiety.
"Each ministry must provide every necessary cooperation and support and seek ways to relieve public anxiety," Chung said following a Cabinet meeting.
The ruling Grand National Party also held a meeting of top party officials and its members from the National Assembly's defense committee discussed the situation.
"We should provide all available assistance to the government and military, keeping in mind the broken hearts of the families of the missing sailors," party Chairman Chung Mong-joon said.