High water levels continue to obstruct search operations in Hungary

Since a sightseeing boat packed with 33 South Korean tourists sank in Hungary last Wednesday, 11 bodies have been found through underwater search operations and preparations for salvaging the boat. With eight Korean people still missing, the government response team strengthened its search operations Thursday by mobilizing three helicopters, a small-sized ship, and a police dog, as bodies are expected to surface. Reporters also looked around the Danube River on a helicopter for an hour and a half.

Around five kilometers away from the accident site, the Adam Clark floating crane is waiting for the water levels to be lowered, with its yellow crane not yet having a chance to be in action. High water levels are preventing the crane from passing a pier and kicking off the operations. With snow starting to thaw in the upper region, water levels rose by two centimeters from four meters and 58 centimeters to four meters and 60 centimeters on Thursday.

The Korean and Hungarian authorities retrieved the body of a Hungarian man who was onboard the Hableany, about four kilometers away from the scene at 6:30 p.m. Thursday. Two bodies found by local residents on Thursday morning have been confirmed to be a Korean man in his 60s and a woman in her 30s. Out of the 33 Korean tourists, 18 are confirmed dead as of 9 a.m. Friday (4 p.m. Korea time). Eight Koreans remain unaccounted, and seven were rescued right after the accident.


zion37@donga.com