Messages exchanged between the first patrol ship of the maritime police that arrived at the scene before any others after the accident and the command headquarters revealed the fact that the maritime police asserted it was impossible to have access to the ferry even though they knew that hundreds of passengers were still inside, the broadcasting said, and went on:

The patrol ship arrived at the scene of the accident at 9:30 when passenger cabins from the third to fifth floors were still afloat.

The headquarters should have made the captain and others who were all aware of the structure of the ferry and able to explain the course of exit and entry, etc. involved in the immediate rescue operation but instructed them to do so four hours after the occurrence of the accident.

Conveying this fact, KBS held the maritime police could not escape criticism that it was passive and careless in the rescue operation.