When a ferry capsized off South Korea's southwestern coast Wednesday, the Ministry of Security and Public Administration said 368 people were rescued. Hours later, it was down by more than half to 164. Vice Minister Lee Kyung-ok said the misinformation came from confusing reports from various agents at the scene. The number was rescinded later several times before being fixed at 174 on Friday.

Confusing reports continued on Friday when the ministry said that divers secured a passage to a dining room on the first floor of the five-story vessel, raising hopes operations may soon begin to rescue survivors trapped inside the hull. However, the West Sea Coast Guard refuted it, saying divers had yet to enter the hull.

In response, Prime Minister Chung Hong-won issued an order to unify communications facilities into the pan-government emergency management headquarters headed by oceans and fisheries minister, making an apology for the misinformation Saturday. Three days have passed with no unified control tower.

When President Park Geun-hye made a"surprise"visit Thursday to an indoor gym in Jindo Island, where relatives of missing passengers gathered to wait eagerly for news on search and rescue operations, she was confronted with insults, shrieks and wails. The relatives, mostly parents of the Danwon High School students which took up around 70 percent of 476 passengers, vented their fury on Park.

Some asked for help and others shouted insults. Park said that if officials at the scene do not undertake actions that the relatives asked for, they should take responsibility and resign. Only after Park's visit, coast guard chief began briefing the relatives daily and large screens for live footage of rescue operations were placed at the gym.

Ridiculous things happened. One of missing high school students was put mistakenly on the list of those rescued. The distraught father wailed and yelled,"How many times will you kill (my daughter), twice, third times or five times?,"local television footage showed.

The mother of a missing high school student raced to the hospital when she heard her son's body was discovered. After identifying the body, the mother wept in relief saying"This is not my son."

Sacrifices came from civilians and petty officials. About 30 minutes after the 6,825-ton ferry sent a distress signal, coast guard boats and helicopters rushed to the scene, with some officers clambering aboard the capsized vessel. Fishing boats came close right up to the floundering ship, plucking people out of the waters.

Teachers stayed until the last minute in the vessel to help with the rescue efforts, rescued students said. Among 15 teachers on board, two have been confirmed dead and 10 others were still missing. Among the three rescued, the 52-year-old vice principal was found Friday hanging himself from a tree near the site of the accident out of a sense of guilt that he alone was alive when hundreds of students remained unaccounted for.

Park Ji-young, a crew member in her 20s, devoted her life to saving students from the capsized vessel. She stood in chest-deep water and distributed life jackets to students saying"I'll leave only after you all escape,"survivors said. The minor crew member was among the first confirmed dead.

The crew member was in a stark contrast to the ship's captain who was the first to abandon the vessel. The captain was arrested for five charges including negligence of duty and abandonment resulting in death. He had ordered passengers to stay put while he and other crew members were leaving the sinking ferry. Among the 29 crew members on board, 23 have been rescued.

Volunteer divers risked their lives in diving against strong currents and chilly waters to search for survivors inside the vessel. Private divers pumped air into the ship, reaching freight compartments on the second floor for the first time. They also cleared passages to the third and fourth floors where passenger cabins are centered. The Coast Guard said specialized private divers were better in underwater search capability than its divers. Endi

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