Search for 8 Missing Sailors Suspended

By Park Si-soo

Staff Reporter

The search for the eight sailors who remain missing more than three weeks after the sinking of the Navy frigate Cheonan was halted Friday following tearful requests from their families.

"The families of the missing sailors asked the authorities to stop search operations in the salvaged stern of the ship," a defense ministry official said. "They requested the authorities to concentrate on the search and salvage of the remaining part of the ship."

The stern of the frigate was raised Thursday and placed on a barge, but eight crewmembers were still unaccounted for after the bodies of 36 seamen were recovered.

Following the families' request, the stern of the 1,200-ton ship will be moved to the 2nd Fleet's naval base in Pyeongtaek by tomorrow. The stoppage came just hours after a Navy rescue team resumed searching the stern of the frigate.

The odds of their survival are very low, experts said, adding that it was highly likely their bodies had been carried away by the tides or torn apart by the explosion.

Others said it was possible they may be found in the bow of the ship, which will be raised to the surface next week.

"We have conducted an extensive search on the seabed using submersibles and high-end equipment on the presumption that some were propelled out of the hull by the explosion," said Rear Adm. Lee Ki-shik of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in a media briefing Friday.

Testimony from the survivors that most of the eight missing were near the presumed point of the explosion backs that scenario. "The explosion took place during a break ahead of a roll call. So it's difficult to determine where they were exactly at the time of the blast," a defense ministry official said.

He added that the fate of the missing sailors may be solved after the bow is salvaged.

They are Master Chief Petty Officer Lee Chang-ki; Senior Chief Petty Officer Choi Han-kwon; Chief Petty Officer Park Kyung-soo; Petty Officer 1st Class Jang Jin-sun, Park Sung-kyun and Park Bo-ram; Seaman Kang Tae-min; Seaman Apprentice Jung Tae-joon.