Bodies of 3 foreign passengers found in sunken S.Korean ferry

(Xinhua) Updated: 2014-04-22 03:41

JINDO, South Korea - The bodies of two missing Chinese passengers and another foreign citizen aboard a capsized South Korean ferry were recovered by rescuers on Monday.

Two of the victims were identified as Chinese men according to their identification cards while another male victim's nationality remained unknown. The death toll has risen to 87 after the 6,825- ton "Sewol" sank off South Korea's southwest coast Wednesday.

One of the Chinese victim was found in waters where the ferry sank at 19:10 local time, the other was recovered inside the ship at 17:40 local time, according to South Korea's Coast Guard.

Another male foreign victim was found at 18:10 local time inside the ship. The coast guard described him as a foreign student according to his curly hair, clothes and other traits in outer appearance.

The Chinese embassy has confirmed that four Chinese nationals - two men and two women - were among the missing passengers aboard the ill-fated ship. South Korean Coast Guard confirmed that a Russian student was also among the missing ones.

A total of 87 passengers have been officially listed as dead so far, 174 have been rescued and 215 are still missing.

The passengers aboard the ship included 325 students and 15 teachers from Danwon High School in Ansan, a Seoul suburb, which, according to the Chinese embassy, is home to many Chinese nationals.