South Korean warship sunk (updated)

A South Korean naval patrol vessel has sunk near to the border with North Korea. An unexplained explosion is said to have ripped through the hull of the Cheonan, a Pohang class corvette which carried 100 crew 58 of whom have been reported to have been rescued.

At the moment the cause of the explosion is unknown, a torpedo attack from a DPRK vessel is one possibility though at the moment the south is playing this down but an emergency meeting of the south's security council has been called.

Update : South Korea has ruled out any involvement by North Korea in the loss of the corvette though as yet do not know what caused the explosion. 46 crew men are still missing.