Dramatic rescue operation of ferry passengers seen in aerial video off South Korea coast

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STORY: The South Korean coast guard released video on Wednesday (April 16), showing its attempts to rescue passengers, after a ferry capsized into the sea.

The video showed the partially sunken vessel in the water and rescuers in boats approaching it.

The footage also showed members of the coast guard trying to rescue passengers from the water while others were seen hanging on the ship's railings.

The ferry was carrying 462 people, of whom 174 have been rescued, coast guard officials said.

More than 280 people, many of them students from the same high school, are still missing in what could be the country's biggest maritime disaster in over 20 years.

Four people were confirmed dead, but as frantic rescue operations continued late into the night under light from flares, hopes were fading for the 284 unaccounted for.

It was not immediately clear why the Sewol ferry listed heavily on to its side and capsized in ap