SEOUL - The youngest survivor from the sunken ferry Sewol is out of the hospital, and is still pinning her hopes on rescue workers to find her missing parents and older brother.
The Korea Herald reported that the five-year-old girl, surnamed Kwon, and her family were aboard the ill-fated vessel en route from Incheon to Jeju Island. Her father had reportedly decided to move the family to the resort island, away from the urban life, according to the newspaper.
Reuters had earlier reported that the girl is six years old and is called Kwon Ji Yeon.
She was alone when she was taken to Hankuk Hospital in Mokpo, South Jeolla province, on Wednesday, reported The Korea Herald. One of the rescued passengers recalled that she was passed along by several men on the ferry so that the rescue worker could reach her as the ship sank.
"Mum and brother put a life jacket on me," she was quoted as saying by the nurse.
Police said she sustained no apparent injuries, but was taken to hospital due to signs of stress.
On Wednesday, the hospital workers and authorities launched a campaign on social networking services to find her relatives. Police said it took some time before her grandmother in Seoul came to find her because her name was misspelt by the media.
Rescue workers are continuing the desperate search for missing passengers, including Kwon's family.
As of 9 pm local time on Thursday, the death toll stood at 13 and 283 passengers remained missing.