Rescuers aid people on board a sinking South Korean passenger ship in water off the southern coast in South Korea, April 16, 2014.[Photo: Xinhua]

The Shanghai Salvage Bureau has finished the first phase of salvage operations for the sunken South Korean ferry Sewol.

Zhang Jianxin, Deputy Director of the rescue bureau at the Ministry of Transport, explained further.

"So far, the salvage work has gone very smoothly. According to our salvage plan last year, the first phase of oil recovery work had been finished. Earlier, the South Korean government organized experts to do site acceptance examinations, and they confirmed our work is done."

A total of 954 cubic meters of oil-water mixture was extracted, and the installation work of safety nets on 136 windows and 16 doors have also been finished.

Zhang added that the salvage of Sewol still faces many obstacles.

The next step is to lift and dock the ferry, and the whole salvage operation is expected to be completed by July.

The over 6800-ton ferry capsized at the southwest coast of South Korea on April 2014, leaving nearly 300 passengers confirmed dead and 9 others still listed as missing.