The death toll from the capsized South Korean ferry has climbed to 28, while 271 people are still unaccounted for.

The Sewol ferry took off from the harbor of Incheon on Wednesday morning, destined for the resort island of Jeju. Some 20km off the coast of Jindo, the ship capsized. It was revealed that a majority of the 459 passengers on board were students travelling on a school trip.

Rescue operations are continuing, but strong winds and cold waters in the Yellow Sea are posing difficulties.

"There are heavy currents in the area. So the vessel itself is not stable in the water. So you are, by default, putting divers at risk”, US Navy Capt. Heidi Agle told CNN. The US Navy is involved in the search operation.

The causes for the accident remain unclear, however Korean sources claim the ship’s captain was not in the steering room when the disaster happened. He was one of the 179 people saved in the aftermath, but is yet to make a public statement.