Almost 300 people remain unaccounted for after a ferry carrying 459 people capsized and sank off South Korea.
The ferry, carrying mainly school students, was travelling from the port of Incheon, in the north-west, to the southern resort island of Jeju.
Emergency teams are using floodlights and flares to search the stricken vessel through the night. Those rescued have been taken to a nearby island.
Four people are now said to have died and dozens of others have been hurt.
South Korean officials had earlier said that 368 people had been plucked to safety, but later said there had been a counting error.
They have now revised down the number rescued to 174.
Images showed the ferry listing at a severe angle and then later almost completely submerged, with only a small part of its hull visible. It sank within two hours of sending a distress signal, reports said.
There are fears this could turn out to be South Korea's biggest maritime disaster for more than 20 years, says the BBC's Martin Patience in Seoul.
Cause unclear
Several coast guard, military and commercial vessels were involved in the rescue effort, which unfolded rapidly on Wednesday morning.
Pictures from the scene showed rescue teams balanced on the sinking hull pulling teenagers from cabin windows. Some of their classmates jumped into the sea as the ship went down.
Reports suggest some of those rescued were picked up by nearby commercial vessels.
The US Navy has sent an amphibious assault ship, the USS Bonhomme Richard, to assist with the search, officials say.
Almost 300 people remain unaccounted for after a ferry carrying 459 people capsized and sank off South Korea.
The ferry, carrying mainly school students, was travelling from the port of Incheon, in the north-west, to the southern resort island of Jeju.
Emergency teams are using floodlights and flares to search the stricken vessel through the night. Those rescued have been taken to a nearby island.
Four people are now said to have died and dozens of others have been hurt.
South Korean officials had earlier said that 368 people had been plucked to safety, but later said there had been a counting error.
They have now revised down the number rescued to 174.
Images showed the ferry listing at a severe angle and then later almost completely submerged, with only a small part of its hull visible. It sank within two hours of sending a distress signal, reports said.
There are fears this could turn out to be South Korea's biggest maritime disaster for more than 20 years, says the BBC's Martin Patience in Seoul.
Cause unclear
Several coast guard, military and commercial vessels were involved in the rescue effort, which unfolded rapidly on Wednesday morning.
Pictures from the scene showed rescue teams balanced on the sinking hull pulling teenagers from cabin windows. Some of their classmates jumped into the sea as the ship went down.
Reports suggest some of those rescued were picked up by nearby commercial vessels.
The US Navy has sent an amphibious assault ship, the USS Bonhomme Richard, to assist with the search, officials say.
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