Family members of 29-year-old Vietnamese Phan Ngoc Thanh, who was onboard the capsized vessel off the Republic of Korea’s southwestern coaston April 16, have arrived in the RoK to wait for new information abouther fate.
Born in the southernmost province of Ca Mau,Thanh got married and naturalised in the RoK last July under the name“Han Yun Ji”, with two children. She and her husband and son onboard thevessel are still unaccounted for while her five-year-old girl KwonJi-yeon was saved as the youngest passenger from the disaster.
Thanh’s father Phan Van Chay and her sister Phan Ngoc Hanh flew to theRoK on April 19 evening, with the assistance from the VietnameseEmbassy and the RoK’s Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Family andGender Equality.
They relatives met with Kwon Ji-yeon andwere taken to Chindo district where the center overseeing the rescueoperation of the capsized Seawol ferry is located.
Chay said his family is still clinging on to the hope of a miracle to happen and stands ready for the worst situation.
The aunt who is taking care of Kwon Ji-yeon said there is noinformation on the spouses and their six-year-old son Kwon Hyuk-kyu.
The capsized five-storey ferry carried 476 crew and passengers,mainly high school students, to the RoK popular holiday destination ofJeju island.
The latest confirmed deaths from the disaster amounted to 104 and 198 others are still unaccounted for.
Over 60,000 Vietnamese women are married to RoK citizens and many people from the RoK are residing in Vietnam.-VNA