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| China-Japan-Koreas |
| Stem of Cheonan also suggest external blast as cause of sinking |
| 2010-04-19 |
| SEOUL, April 18 (Yonhap) -- The submerged stem of a warship that sank mysteriously last month is heavily tattered as its stern, giving credence to an initial conclusion that an external explosion was the cause of the disaster, military officials said Sunday. After lifting the stern of the sunken warship Cheonan on Thursday, navy and civilian divers are now working to hoist the stem from the water to determine the exact cause of the mishap. The vessel sank on March 26 after breaking into two from what military officials and witnesses say was an explosion. After checking the damaged parts of the ship's stern, investigators said Friday that the sinking was probably caused by an external blast. Officials quoted divers working underwater to retrieve the submerged stem as reporting seeing "tattered cuts" in its broken face and disheveled electric wires. Officials also said that the recovery of the stem may take longer than expected. On Sunday, divers successfully tied a third chain around the stem on Sunday and was working to link one more to it, but the efforts were hampered by bad weather, according to the officials. "Once we compare and match the torn sides of the stem and the stern, we expect to conclude that the (sinking) was from an outside explosion," one official said. "Consequently, finding material evidence is crucial." Navy divers have been combing the ocean for debris and fragments from a torpedo or a floating mine, which investigators have said are possible causes of the explosion. No firm evidence has so far been found. South Korea is trying to find the cause "in a scientific, transparent and through manner and with international cooperation," but it's still "hard to prejudge the result," he said. "As for the government, we're making thorough preparations to cope with all possibilities," he stressed. |
| Posted by:Steve White |