(this was aired on May 1st, 2014)
We start with the latest on the Sewol-ho ferry disaster...
Strong currents and bad weather hampered search efforts overnight, but conditions have improved this morning.
The confirmed death toll now stands at 2-hundred-thirteen with eighty-nine people, mostly teenagers, still unaccounted for.
For the latest on the search operation and the ongoing investigation into the sinking, our Shin Se-min joins us in the News Center,...
Se-min, what's the latest?
Yes Mark,...
Over night another body has been recovered,... presumed to be a student from Danwon High School,... now that pushes the confirmed death toll to 2-hundred-13 as you mentioned.
The more favorable weather conditions near the accident site DIDN'T do much good as high tides and fast currents brought search operations to a grinding halt.
Searching for the victims,... rescuers have not only focused on the fourth floor, where most of the missing were initially thought to be,... but also on the fifth floor lobby, where many of the recently retrieved bodies were located.
So far,... of the 1-hundred-11 cabins, 44 have been checked by divers,... and officials believe more bodies will be found in 64 of the cabins that have yet to be searched.
Also the Coast Guard wanted to use a diving bell to speed up search efforts Wednesday,... but they were forced to scrap those plans after just 20 minutes as a air supply hose broke.
Let's hope that diving bell can be used today... there seem to have been a lot of issues with that unfortunately... The Coast Guard has issued an apology to the victims' families... what prompted this two whole weeks after the accident?
Yes, there was a press briefing in Jindo Wednesday and the Commissioner General of the Korea Coast Guard Kim Suk-kyoon , a member of the government task force handling the disaster, apologized for the pain the accident has caused the families.
He bowed his head and expressed his deep responsibility for the disorganized, inefficient and slow rescue efforts.
He also said he'll push for clear answers to the criminal investigations.
That includes allegations against the operator of the ferry Chonghaejin Marine Company of overloading the vessel.
Two staff members have been arrested for ignoring crew member's safety warnings, on multiple occasions.
Also, a shocking revelation was made, regarding rescue operations in the early days following the ferry sinking.
A lawmaker of the parliamentary defense committee said that a report by the defense ministry showed the maritime police restricted the Navy from getting close to the accident site, and claimed that Undine, a private rescue operation company, should dive first.
The company was APPARENTLY hired by Chonghaejin Marine.
Well, if that's true it reflects extremely badly on the authorities... How about the investigation with the actual owner of the Chonghaejin Marine Company...?
A special investigation team is speeding up its probe, especially on the practical owner of the ferry operator, Yoo Byung-eon .
Yoo's brother-in-law and two daughters have been notified to appear before prosecutors by Friday 10 a.m, Korea time... so they have around 24 hours to meet that deadline.
And one of seven key figures linked to Yoo, the CEO of the cosmetics company called Dapanda, Song Kook-bin , has been questioned at the Incheon District Prosecutors' Office on suspicion of corruption.
Also, investigations have revealed that the Sewol-ho ferry had been put up for sale one month before the accident.
If the company would have sold it at its asking price Chonghaejin Marine Company would have taken a loss of roughly 5-point-8 million dollars....
Investigators are trying to figure out why.
That's all I have for now, but I will bring you more updates later on.
