South Korean Ship Sinking: 58 of 104 Sailors have been Rescued

CNN — South Korean Navy Ship sank in tense Yellow Sea waters off the coast of North Korea. The 1,200-ton patrol ship Cheonan was on routine patrol when it sank Friday at 9:45 p.m. The Yonhap News Agency quoted military officials as saying that an unidentified explosion punched a hole in the bottom of the ship.

The sanked ship was carrying 104 sailors, 58 of whom have been rescued. Divers continued the search for 46 missing sailors in unseasonably cold temperatures and treacherous waters.

According to Yonhap,South Korean President Lee Myung-bak has ordered a “quick and thorough” investigation into what caused the ship to sink, keeping in mind “all possibilities,” his office said.

Baengnyeong residents had reported hearing gunfire at sea shortly after the Cheonan sank. South Korean officials later confirmed that on of their ships had fired on a radar contact that turned out to be a flock of birds.

In recent months, North Korea has been firing coastal artillery into the waters near the island, and shells had been fired earlier Friday, according to news reports.