Searchers have found 276 bodies, and 28 passengers remain missing. Most of the victims were students from a single high school south of Seoul. Improved weather allowed the search to resume early today, government task force spokesman Ko Myung-seok said.
Nearly a month after the ferry sank, the search teams have been hampered by bad weather, floating debris inside the ship and, lately, the vessel's deterioration. According to Ko, it has been difficult to enter some of the rooms because waterlogged walls have partially collapsed and blocked passages.
An investigation team probing the ferry's sinking formally arrested an employee of a private safety device inspection company yesterday. Prosecutor Yang Jung-jin said the employee is suspected of carrying out poor inspections on the ferry's safety equipment.