Deepest Sympathy for the People of South Korea

Our hearts and prayers go out to the people of South Korea and to the families of the 280 high school students still missing after the ferry they were on listed and capsized in frigid waters off the South Korean coast near Seoul. ~~~~~ The students were on an overnight trip to a tourist island when their ship sank on Wednesday, leaving more than 280 people missing despite a frantic, night-long rescue effort by dozens of ships and helicopters. The high number of passengers unaccounted for - either trapped in the capsized ship or floating in the ocean - raised fears that the death toll could rise drastically. One student told broadcaster YTN after being rescued that once he jumped, the ocean "was so cold. ... I was hurrying, thinking that I wanted to live." Local television stations broadcast live pictures of the ship, Sewol, listing to its side and slowly sinking as passengers jumped out or were winched up by helicopters. At least 87 vessels and 18 aircraft swarmed in the waters around the stricken ship as rescuers climbed over its sides, pulling out passengers wearing orange life jackets. But the ship overturned completely and continued to sink slowly. Within little more than two hours, only its blue-and-white bow was above water. South Korean President Park Geun-hye, after a briefing in Seoul with officials, said : "We have to do our best to rescue even one passenger." The ship set off from South Korea's northwest on Tuesday night for an overnight, 14-hour journey to the tourist island of Jeju, with 30 crew members, 325 high school students, 15 school teachers and 89 non-student passengers onboard. The students on the ferry were in their second year, aged 16 or 17. ~~~~~ "Journey's End" by J. R. R. Tolkien. In western lands beneath the Sun / The flowers may rise in Spring / The trees may bud, the waters run / The merry finches sing. / Or there maybe 'tis cloudless night / And swaying branches bear / The Elven-stars as jewels white / Amid their branching hair / Though here at journey's end I lie / In darkness buried deep / Beyond all towers strong and high / Beyond all mountains steep / Above all shadows rides the Sun / And Stars for ever dwell / I will not say the Day is done / Nor bid the Stars farewell.