TRAGIC FERRY ACCIDENT

[Anchor Lead]

Some of the Korean tourists who died in a ferry accident in Hungary were found as far as ten kilometers away from the site of the tragedy. The Hungarian authorities have expanded the search area southward because of the swift water current. Meanwhile, other countries have also offered to lend a helping hand in the search operations. Let's take a look.

[Pkg]

An offshore crane has arrived in the area where the Hungarian boat "Mermaid" sank. Preparations to lift the sunken boat pick up speed, with buoys being installed around the bridge. Divers who arrived at the scene of the tragedy are reportedly checking if diving is safe at this point. Operations to find the missing passengers are being carried out expeditiously. According to local authorities, the missing passengers might have been swept down the river, all the way to the neighboring countries due to the swift water current. A map disclosed by Hungarian police shows the bodies of seven tourists were found farther south as time went by. The body of the seventh passenger was swept 10 kilometers away in just 25 minutes before it was found on the outskirts of Budapest. The search area has been expanded to 30 kilometers from the site of sinking. Naval ships and rescue boats have been dispatched to search for the missing passengers in the area near Hungary's border with Serbia and Romania. Other countries have also offered to help with search efforts. Serbia is cooperating with Hungarian authorities to look for the missing tourists, while Austria sent ten special squad divers to provide help. However, the search and lifting operations are expected to hit numerous snags because the water level in the Danube River has risen to nearly six meters, and strong winds are forecast in the area. Meanwhile, Hungarian police have detained the captain of the cruise ship involved in the fatal crash with the boat that was carrying more than 30 tourists.