Underwater search for 19 missing Koreans continues on Danube, boat may be salvaged soon
Arirang News
2019-06-03
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The search for 19 missing Koreans and two Hungarian crew members continues under the murky waters of the Danube River in Budapest.
The South Korean search and rescue team will begin their operation once the Hungarian government gives the greenlight.
Our Choi Si-young tells more.
Hungary and S. Korea will decide whether to begin the underwater search operation in a meeting at 2PM Korean time or 7AM local time on Monday.
Until now, swollen water levels and strong currents have hindered the search efforts in the Danube River where the accident took place last Wednesday.
Due to such harsh and dangerous conditions, Hungary's search and rescue team HAVE recommended the capsized boat be salvaged soon, whereas Korean officials have requested the underwater search continue, raising concerns that bodies potentially inside the boat would be severely damaged during the salvage operation.
Hungary says it will salvage the sunken boat if the conditions on the Danube River still remain too harsh for underwater operations.
"Hungarian officials say the water level will decrease a bit this week, so the boat could be salvaged as early as Thursday,... but perhaps as late as next week."
The South Korean search team, however, did say it will actively support Hungary if asked,... including during the salvage operation.
The Hungarian government is also set to hold a press conference on Monday, local time.
"The Hungarian counterterrorism agency will hold a press conference at 2 PM on Monday to ask Hungarians to report immediately if any bodies are found along the Danube River."
On Saturday local time, a court in Budapest issued a formal arrest warrant for the captain of the cruise ship that collided with the tourist boat on charges of negligence for the accident.
The captain,... who will now be detained for up to a month,... insists he's innocent.
His lawyer is echoing his client's claim, saying the captain didn't violate regulations and therefore should not be found criminally responsible for the sinking of the tourist boat.
The captain's bail has been set at around 50-thousand U.S. dollars.
If he finds the money, he will be freed while the probe continues,... but banned from leaving Hungary.
Choi Si-young, Arirang News.
The South Korean search and rescue team will begin their operation once the Hungarian government gives the greenlight.
Our Choi Si-young tells more.
Hungary and S. Korea will decide whether to begin the underwater search operation in a meeting at 2PM Korean time or 7AM local time on Monday.
Until now, swollen water levels and strong currents have hindered the search efforts in the Danube River where the accident took place last Wednesday.
Due to such harsh and dangerous conditions, Hungary's search and rescue team HAVE recommended the capsized boat be salvaged soon, whereas Korean officials have requested the underwater search continue, raising concerns that bodies potentially inside the boat would be severely damaged during the salvage operation.
Hungary says it will salvage the sunken boat if the conditions on the Danube River still remain too harsh for underwater operations.
"Hungarian officials say the water level will decrease a bit this week, so the boat could be salvaged as early as Thursday,... but perhaps as late as next week."
The South Korean search team, however, did say it will actively support Hungary if asked,... including during the salvage operation.
The Hungarian government is also set to hold a press conference on Monday, local time.
"The Hungarian counterterrorism agency will hold a press conference at 2 PM on Monday to ask Hungarians to report immediately if any bodies are found along the Danube River."
On Saturday local time, a court in Budapest issued a formal arrest warrant for the captain of the cruise ship that collided with the tourist boat on charges of negligence for the accident.
The captain,... who will now be detained for up to a month,... insists he's innocent.
His lawyer is echoing his client's claim, saying the captain didn't violate regulations and therefore should not be found criminally responsible for the sinking of the tourist boat.
The captain's bail has been set at around 50-thousand U.S. dollars.
If he finds the money, he will be freed while the probe continues,... but banned from leaving Hungary.
Choi Si-young, Arirang News.
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