Diver searching sunken ferry off South Korea dies
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
NEW: Nearly 130 divers are searching the sunken ship
Not including the diver, the disaster's death toll rises to 263
More than three dozen people remain missing
The South Korean President consoled families over the weekend
Seoul, South Korea (CNN) -- A diver searching the sunken Sewol ferry died Tuesday, according to South Korea's Government Rescue Headquarters.
"A civilian diver, Lee, lost the communication line at 25 meters under the sea five minutes into his first dive," spokesman Koh Myung-suk said.
"By the time his colleagues went to save him, Lee was unconscious and unable to breathe by himself," Koh said.
Lee, whose full name was not provided, was helicoptered to a hospital where he was pronounced dead, the spokesman added.
Park In-ho, head of the hospital where Lee died, said the diver's blood was tested and appeared normal except for high potassium. His chest X-ray also showed no sign of irregularity.
Not including the diver, the death toll in the ferry disaster has risen to 263, with 39 people still missing, the government reported.
Over the weekend, South Korean President Park Geun-hye visited the port where the rescue operation is based to console families and encourage divers.
The search-and-rescue operation has turned into a grueling recovery of corpses. No one has been found alive since the ferry sank April 16 with a passenger load largely made up of high school students on a field trip.
The work has become even more difficult because divers have faced closed cabin doors blocked by debris.
Corralling the debris has been difficult for search teams.
Mattresses and clothing from the ship have been found up to 9 miles (15 km) away from the accident site, said Park Seung-ki, a spokesman for the rescue operation.
Large stow and trawler nets will be set up around the sunken ship to catch items that may float away, he said. At the same time, some three dozen ships will be clearing an oil spill from the ferry, which is threatening the livelihood of the local fishermen.
The ferry sank en route from Incheon to the resort island of Jeju, off the nation's southwestern coast.
By Ed Payne and Stella Kim, CNN
May 6, 2014 -- Updated 0234 GMT (1034 HKT)
韓国旅客船沈没 捜索のダイバーが急死5月6日 11時33分
韓国の旅客船沈没事故で、６日朝、安否の分からない人の捜索活動に当たっていた民間のダイバーが水中で意識不明となり、病院に運ばれましたが死亡し、海洋警察が死因などについて詳しく調べています。
先月１６日に韓国南部で起きた旅客船セウォル号の沈没事故では、今も、現場海域でダイバーらが２４時間態勢で捜索活動を続けています。
こうしたなか、韓国海洋警察によりますと、６日午前６時すぎ、水深２５メートルほどまで潜っていたダイバーとの通信が途絶えました。ダイバーは救助されたものの、意識がない状態だったということで、ヘリコプターで病院に運ばれましたが死亡が確認されました。
死亡したダイバーは、海難救助などを専門とする民間企業に所属し、セウォル号の不明者の捜索に参加したのは６日が初めてだったということです。
現場の海域は潮の流れが速いうえ、連日の捜索活動でこれまでもダイバーが体調不良を訴えて病院に運ばれたケースがありましたが、死亡者が出たのはこれが初めてで、海洋警察が死因などを詳しく調べています。
沈没事故では、これまでに修学旅行中だった高校生など２６３人の死亡が確認され、今なお３９人の安否が分かっていません。
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