Body of Missing Navy Sailor Recovered
By Lee Tae-hoon
Staff Reporter
Military rescuers Saturday recovered the body of a missing Navy sailor from a South Korean warship that sank near the disputed western maritime border with North Korea last week, military officials said.
They said Senior Chief Petty Officer Nam Ki-hoon was found dead at around 6:10 p.m. inside a cafeteria of the 1,200-ton frigate Cheonan that sank on March 26 near the Northern Limit Line, the de facto sea border with the North.
Of the Cheonan's 104-member crew, 46 went missing after the ship broke in two, following an explained explosion in the West Sea.
The 56 sailors were pulled out to safety after the sinking, while the search for the missing 45 continues.
The Cheonan was first deployed by the South Korean Navy in 1988, and was equipped with missiles and torpedoes, according to officials.
The incident comes amid increased tension between the two Koreas, which technically remain at war since the 1950-1953 Korean War ended in a truce, not a peace treaty.
The disputed inter-Korean border was the scene of deadly naval clashes in 1999 and 2002.