South Korean Ship Sank

The Cheonan, a South Korean Ship, sank late Friday Night.


The Cheonan Naval ship of South Korea, weighing 1,200 tons, was patrolling 20 km from North Korea on the night of March 25 at the Baeknyeong Island when an explosion, more likely an accident - according to Carl Baker, an expert on Korean military relations - happened that made the ship sank just near the maritime border of North Korea.

South Korean rescuers pulled 58 sailors from the water near the Baeknyeong Island hours after the explosion happened on late Friday. 46 more sailors remain unfound.

The incident alarmed the government of Seoul. The president of South Korea immediately called for an emergency meeting with his defense minister and top military officials. 

As to the true reason why the ship sank, no one knows yet. Attention were focused on North Korea, as the ship sank just near its border. Considering the tension between the North and the South Korea, and since the maritime border patrolled by the ship has long been contested by Pyongyang, North Korea's capital city, suspicions are naturally directed to the former. But at the moment, there are no such indications as to whether North Korea played a role in this scenario. Even South Korean officials made no comments.

Rescuers in ships and helicopters on Saturday combed the area for more survivors but officials haven't made any report of progress yet by mid-afternoon.