Families of those still missing in April's ferry disaster and residents of this southwestern island called Thursday for the early salvage of the sunken ship to help assuage the grief of the families and revive the regional economy.
   
The 6,825-ton ferry Sewol sank on April 16 in waters off Jindo en route to the southern resort island of Jeju. A total of 295 people have been confirmed dead, with nine remaining unaccounted for.
   
Earlier this month, the government suspended the underwater search for those missing, citing the slim chance of recovering them and safety concerns for divers. The government also formed a task force on the ship's salvage.
   
"We strongly urge the government and the political circles to try to salvage the ferry Sewol," the families and residents said at a press conference held at the town hall of Jindo, some 470 kilometers southwest of Seoul.
   
Residents claimed the disaster has dealt a devastating blow to the regional economy and tarnished the county's image.
   
"The ship should be lifted not only for the families who lost their relatives in the sea, but also for fishermen who must continue their livelihoods near the disaster area," a coalition of residents said.
   
Oil leaked from the sunken ship has caused environmental damage to their fishing ground, it claimed, estimating the amount of leaked oil at 214 kiloliters.
  
But most importantly, the county has been stigmatized as a "place not to visit," and without recovering the ship, "it's difficult to recover our image as a treasured island," it said.
  
Earlier last week, the families of the missing made the same demand.
 
 Also Thursday, the task force held a meeting to assess the possibility of raising the ferry -- an undertaking estimated to take more than a year and cost at least 100 billion won (US$90.7 million).
  
The task force is comprised of maritime and disaster experts who will examine the condition of the ship and the water near the disaster zone and weigh the benefits against the risks of raising the ferry (Yonhap)