Missing Plane Search 'Could Take 5 to 7 Days'

By Nick Martin, News Correspondent, in Perth

Australian officials supervising the search for the missing Malaysia Airlines flight have said that an underwater search for the black box recorder based on "pings" possibly from the device could be completed in five to seven days.

It comes as search teams say the submarine currently scanning the ocean floor remains "the best lead" in finding the plane.

The US Navy-operated Bluefin-21 autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) has now covered an area of 82 square miles (133 sq km) and has completed six missions.

But its sonar scanners have detected nothing, Sky News understands.

The Bluefin-21 submersible has already carried out six descents

After nearly six weeks without any sign of the plane, the current underwater search has been narrowed to a circular 6.2-mile (10km) area around the location where one of the pings thought to come from the missing flight's black box was detected earlier this month.

The submersible is likely to take up to a week to cover the refined search area.

The Bluefin-21 has now started its seventh descent to the bottom of the Indian Ocean.

It takes two hours for the unmanned submersible to travel more than 4,500m to the seabed where it spends 16 hours at a time using sonar scanners to map the ocean floor. Data is then downloaded at the surface.

The Chinese ship Hai Xin 01 conducts a search in the southern Indian Ocean

No sign of the plane has been picked up, said search officials based in Perth, Australia.

"Overnight, Bluefin-21 AUV completed mission six in the underwater search area. Data from the sixth mission is currently under analysis. No contacts of interest have been found to date," said an official.

"This is the best lead we have in the search for missing flight MH370."

Hishammuddin Hussein, acting Malaysia Transport Minister, told a news conference on Saturday: "The immediate search area that the Bluefin-21 is scouring should be completed within the next week.

"All efforts will be intensified in the next few days in regards to the search."

The underwater hunt is complicated by the depth of the largely unexplored sea floor. The US Navy's unmanned sub has already gone beyond its recommended limit of 4,500 meters (15,000 feet).

Malaysia flight MH370 took off from Kuala Lumpur on March 8 bound for Beijing. But an hour into the flight it disappeared from radar. There were 239 people on board, mostly Chinese citizens.

Some families of those on board refuse to believe the aircraft crashed into the sea and have instead denounced the search effort as a cover-up.

Up to 11 military aircraft and 12 ships are assisting the search over the long Easter bank holiday weekend. The total search area is 31,000 square miles (50,200 sq km), across three areas.

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South Korea Ferry Disaster Captain's Apology

The captain of a ferry that capsized off the coast of South Korea leaving more than 200 children dead or missing has apologised to the families of the victims.

In a televised address with his head bowed, Lee Joon-Seok said he had delayed the order to abandon the Sewol because he thought the sea was too cold and that the passengers, mostly children, would "drift away".

South Korea's coastguard found another three bodies on Saturday morning, bringing the confirmed death toll to 32. More than 270 passengers in total are still missing.

A member from the South Korean Navy's SSU dives into the sea off Jindo

Divers trying to find the missing have seen more bodies inside the submerged vessel but have been unable to reach them. 

The discoveries of the bodies came as it emerged the third mate steering the ferry at the time of the accident was navigating the waters for the first time.

Senior prosecutor Yang Jung-jin told reporters that the officer, a 25-year-old woman, was steering the ship as it passed through an area with lots of islands clustered close together and fast currents.

Divers say they have seen bodies through the windows of the sunken ship

Mr Yang said that another mate usually took controls through the area but, because heavy fog caused a departure delay, the third mate was steering.

The 69-year-old captain, described as an industry veteran by the ship's owners and an "expert" by others, was arrested on suspicion of negligence and abandoning people in need.

Investigators are looking into whether Lee's evacuation order came too late to save lives. Two crew members have also been arrested for failing in their duty to assist passengers.

Oh Yong-Seok, a helmsman on the ferry, said when the crew sent a distress call, the ship was already listing more than five degrees.

A family member of a passenger waits for news from rescue teams in Jindo

About half an hour later, Lee finally gave the order for the passengers to abandon ship, according to Mr Oh.

Investigations are also focusing on whether problems with cargo stowage and structural defects of the vessel might have led to the ship capsizing.

Addressing journalists, Lee said: "I am sorry to the people of South Korea for causing a disturbance and I bow my head in apology to the families of the victims.

"I gave instructions regarding the route, then I briefly went to the bedroom and then it happened.

"At the time, the current was very strong, temperature of the ocean water was cold, and I thought that if people left the ferry without (proper) judgement, if they were not wearing a life jacket, and even if they were, they would drift away and face many other difficulties.

"The rescue boats had not arrived yet, nor were there any civilian fishing ships or other boats nearby at that time. There was a mistake on my behalf as well but the steering (gear of the ship) turned further than it was supposed to."

Lee was speaking as divers searching for some 200 missing people say they looked through a window of the ship and saw three bodies inside the sunken vessel but were unable to retrieve them.

No sounds have been heard from the hull which has now disappeared under the water. Rescuers say hopes of finding survivors are fading.

The number of passengers confirmed dead currently stands at 28.

Some 325 passengers were students from Danwon High School near Seoul.

They were on a school trip making a 13-hour journey to the holiday island of Jeju.

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Rob Ford: Crack-Using Mayor Launches Campaign

Supporters of embattled Toronto mayor Rob Ford queued up to get their hands a 'bobble headed' doll of their hero as he launched his bid for re-election.

The politician, who admitted smoking crack cocaine last year, acknowledged he had had "rocky moments" but vowed to fight harder than ever at his inaugural campaign rally.

Ford is seeking re-election on October 27 despite widespread coverage that many believe made him and his city an international embarrassment.

He told those attending the rally: "There's been some rocky moments over the past year. I have experienced how none of us can go through life without making mistakes.

"And when they occur, we learn a lot about ourselves. Humility, the kindness of people and the spirit of second chances."

Ford's bobble-head dolls were launched in November and sold out

The errant mayor shot to fame in November 2013 when Toronto police said they had obtained a copy of a video which appeared to show him inhaling the highly addictive drug.

He refused to resign and, in the weeks after, story after story emerged exposing him for behaviour that many felt was inappropriate for the mayor of such a large city.

He was filmed knocking over a female councillor, ticketed for jaywalking, captured on video slurring his words and accused of paying for an attack on his brother-in-law.

Toronto Mayor Rob Ford supporter Daniel Boone poses for a picture

Despite the exposés, Ford remains popular among a core of voters in his home suburb of Etobicoke.

His promises to slash spending, cut taxes and end what he called "the war on the car" have gained him a loyal following.

Nodding bobble-head lookalikes of the mayor were first put on sale last November, according to the Toronto Star, at 20 Canadian dollars each (£12), with proceeds going to a charity.

His previous batch of 300 of the figures sold out within minutes and immediately began popping up on eBay for as much as 15 times their purchase price.

Toronto Mayor Rob Ford supporters sit on a fire truck

At the rally, a range of other merchandise was on sale, including bumper stickers, badges, t-shirts and foam fingers.

Since he became famous, a number of American and international comedians have mocked the mayor.

But, according to the Star, he had rebuffed all attempts to force him from office and has continued his drive to take on what he describes as "abuse of taxpayers' money".

The Star said the latest opinion poll, taken on Monday, put left-wing candidate Olivia Chow at the head of the field with 34% of support, Ford with 27% and former opposition leader John Tory with 24%.

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Ukraine Crisis: Putin Hints At Thaw With West

Russian President Vladimir Putin has held out the prospect of improved relations with the West following a tense Cold War-style stand-off over Ukraine.

But in a sign there would be no weakening of Moscow's stance, Mr Putin said he would award medals to Russian troops who served during the seizure of Crimea.

It was only recently he admitted the country's military had been involved in the annexation of the Black Sea peninsula.

His comments came as the US warned Russia it will face further sanctions if pro-Russia militia in eastern Ukraine do not disarm, and the Kremlin admitted reinforcement troops had been sent to the border.

Speaking in an interview broadcast on Russian state television, Mr Putin hinted at a thaw in relations with Western powers, which have accused the Kremlin of stoking unrest in Ukraine.

He also welcomed the appointment of the new Nato head Jens Stoltenberg

Mr Putin said: "I think there is nothing that would hinder a normalisation and normal cooperation."

But he added: "This does not depend on us. Or rather not only on us. This depends on our partners."

His US counterpart Barack Obama has said further economic and diplomatic action could be taken against Moscow if an international agreement to calm tensions in Ukraine is not implemented.

Russia, Ukraine, the US and the European Union agreed on Thursday to a series of steps to "de-escalate" the crisis in Ukraine.

US Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov

But many of the groups that took over government buildings in a bid to declare independence in eastern Ukraine have yet to leave, saying they will only do so if Ukraine's government steps down too.

US Secretary of State John Kerry told Russian foreign secretary Sergei Lavrov late on Friday that the "the next few days would be a pivotal period".

The EU has also indicated it will meet to discuss further sanctions if Russia does not act to make the militias disarm.

But earlier, the Kremlin had indicated Russia was not going to be bossed around, issuing a veiled threat.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russian television: "Our Western colleagues are trying to push responsibility towards our side. But it must be underlined: it is a collective responsibility."

"We have troops in different regions, and there are troops close to the Ukrainian border.

"Some are based there, others have been sent as reinforcements due to the situation in Ukraine," he added.

The White House said it was watching Moscow to see if it adhered to what had been agreed in Geneva.

Pro-Russians are occupying public buildings in 10 eastern Ukrainian cities and have been told to leave in the next few days or face consequences.

Kiev had previously declared the separatists as terrorists and sent troops to remove them, but had been unable to.

The separatists want a referendum on union with Russia, similar to the one held in Crimea that ultimately led to its annexation by Russia.

Sky's Katie Stallard, in Donetsk, said there was no sign of anyone there acting on the deal reached in Geneva.

She added: "None of those at the talks directly represented those on the ground, particularly those occupying the buildings."

Meanwhile, Europe's Baltic states are in talks to set up their own Russian-language television channel in a bid to counter the deluge of propaganda aimed at their ethnic Russian populations by Moscow-backed media.

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Papua New Guinea Quake Sparks Tsunami Warning

A tsunami warning was triggered after a magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck off Papua New Guinea in the Pacific Ocean.

The powerful quake hit late on Saturday at a depth of 19 miles (31km) and was located 47 miles (75km) southwest of the town of Panguna on Bougainville Island.

There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre issued a warning for Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands but this was later cancelled.

And the centre said there was no threat to neighbouring Australia or across the Pacific Ocean.

At least six strong tremors have hit near Bougainville in the past week, including a magnitude 7.3 on April 11.

But there have been no reports of major damage.

"Certainly it has been very active, more active than usual," said Jonathan Bathgate, a seismologist at Geoscience Australia.

"(The spate of earthquakes) is relieving some pressure on this faultline, but we can't rule out another large earthquake."

Quakes are common in Papua New Guinea which lies on the "Ring of Fire" - an arc of earthquake and volcanic activity that stretches around the Pacific Rim.

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Ukraine: Nato Bolsters Forces In Eastern Europe

Digging For The Truth Over Russia And Ukraine

Updated: 11:52am UK, Wednesday 16 April 2014

By Ian Woods, Sky News Senior Correspondent

Trying to separate fact from fiction is part of a journalist's job, but in Moscow you have to learn to treat some reports with a large dose of scepticism.

On Tuesday afternoon, the Russian state news channel Rossiya 24 reported that between four and 11 people had been killed when Ukrainian government forces recaptured control of an airfield in Kramatorsk, which had earlier been controlled by pro-Russian protesters. 

Other Russian news agencies reported several deaths.

It seemed as if it might be a watershed moment, likely to trigger a military response from the Kremlin which has pledged to protect ethnic Russians.

The Russian Foreign Ministry issued a statement expressing deep concern and saying events were developing into a "worst case scenario."

But later reports filed by international news organisations such as Reuters and the Associated Press revealed a much less serious incident.

True, Ukrainian soldiers had arrived at the scene and took some verbal abuse from protesters.

Warning shots may have been fired and an officer had his hat knocked off in scuffles.

Tension remains and it is always a worrying development when a country's military confronts its own citizens.

But it still seems some way short of the civil war that Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said Ukraine was on the brink of.

Equally, those who suggest that everyone who has manned a barricade or occupied a government office in eastern Ukraine is either a Russian agent or cajoled by the Kremlin is also exaggerating.

Yes, there appear to be many examples of men taking charge who display some form of military training, but recent video footage of people forcing a Ukrainian tank to turn around suggests they were angry locals rather than crack troops. 

When the West cries too loudly about Russian influence it can drown out the genuine voices of those Ukrainians in the East who don't like the western-leaning interim government in Kiev. 

The Russian media ridicules the EU and the US for lauding the civil protests which forced elected President Viktor Yanukovych to flee the country, and yet the same governments condemn Russian-speaking Ukrainians supporters for being angry about what they view as an illegitimate coup.

The truth is out there, and the UN has published a version of it, which found claims of attacks on ethnic Russians had been deliberately exaggerated to justify Russian intervention in Crimea last month.

The UN Human Rights report said assaults were not widespread and that reports of nationalist extremists "coming armed to persecute ethnic Russians in Crimea were systematically used to create a climate of fear and insecurity that reflected on support to integration of Crimea into the Russian Federation".

The Russian foreign ministry said the UN report was "one-sided, politicised and not objective", adding: "One gets the impression that the report was fabricated to correspond with conclusions formed in advance."

The annexation of Crimea was popular in Russia because it returned a territory which was historically Russian, but which was ceded to Ukraine during the Soviet era when Moscow still retained overall control.

But there appears to be little appetite among ordinary Russians for trying to seize chunks of eastern Ukraine, even if many of those who live there speak Russian.

Lisa Zelaney, a student at Moscow State University, told Sky News she had friends in Ukraine and, although she supported Crimea returning to Russian control, the current situation was different, and she was dubious about Russian media reports.  

"When you hear people say, 'Yes, we want Russian people to get here and help us get rid of this government, that we don't like it,'  that's not usually the truth.

"I think we should leave this country alone and let them themselves decide what they need."

Pensioner Vladimir Pantileymonovich told us: "By no means should Russia interfere in the eastern Ukraine situation. It's their own business."

And Dina Boulatova added: "We should definitely not get into it, otherwise there will be huge problems for Russia. The two sides there should take a step towards each other."

But another man was more sympathetic to Kremlin policy.

Elizarov Leonid Mikhailovich said: "For me personally everything is very clear. The majority of the population expressed their opinion. They said what they wanted and how they wanted it.

"The methods that the Kiev authorities are using now are horrible. They were elected in a barbarous way.

"I think the majority in Ukraine understand this government does not have a future.

"I may not support Putin or like him but on this issue I completely support him. Russia is strong enough now to support its people."

As for criticism of a foreign government meddling in the affairs of another, the Russian media reported on evidence to confirm their suspicions the interim government in Kiev came to power as the result of an American-backed coup. 

The confirmation by the White House that CIA director John Brennan was a visitor to Kiev at the weekend fuelled Moscow suspicions of the agency's involvement in supporting the Maidan protesters.

The White House said his arrival in Ukraine was simply part of a wider European tour.

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Pistorius Trial: Reeva Bullet Wound Evidence

Oscar Pistorius has buried his head in his hands during a graphic account of how bullets he fired fatally injured his girlfriend.

Forensic expert Roger Dixon, who has suggested neighbours who gave evidence for the prosecution were mistaken in what they heard, gave further evidence on day 24 of the trial. 

Pistorius lowered his head and clasped his hands around his ears as Mr Dixon provided details of the injuries Reeva Steenkamp suffered.

A bullet that hit the model's arm caused such serious damage it was like "an instant amputation", he said.

The witness used a photograph placed on the back of a junior member of the defendant's legal team to illustrate where the Black Talon bullets hit Ms Steenkamp's back.

The court also heard how the bullets and fragments damaged her skull after passing through the toilet door in the athlete's home.

Mr Dixon disputed the prosecution's account that Ms Steenkamp was facing the door when she was shot because the couple were arguing. 

He suggested that if Ms Steenkamp had been facing the door, the shape of the bullet wounds would have been different.

However, he was forced to admit the same Black Talon ammunition had not been used in his gun tests and there was a problem getting hold of them.

Ms Steenkamp's mother June, her agent and friends of the model were in court to hear the graphic evidence.

Pistorius was handed a note by a well-wisher as he arrived at court

Prosecutor Gerrie Nel challenged Mr Dixon's expertise, pointing out he was not currently registered with any forensic body.

The witness admitted he had no idea about the sound expertise of a person who made a recording of a gun being fired, which has been used as evidence.

He also conceded he did not have qualifications in ballistics or pathology, after he called into question the evidence of experienced experts in both fields who gave evidence for the prosecution.

Mr Nel called Mr Dixon "irresponsible" and accused him of giving evidence without having read the post-mortem report properly, after he said he had not seen a photograph of a bruise on Ms Steenkamp's back.

The athlete's lawyers have about a dozen witnesses to call as they try to challenge the state's charge that he shot Ms Steenkamp deliberately.

Earlier, Judge Thokozile Masipa ruled proceedings will adjourn for more than two weeks on April 17 and resume on May 5.

Pistorius, 27, admits shooting his girlfriend but says he believed she was an intruder.

He denies premeditated murder and illegally possessing ammunition.

He also denies two further counts related to shooting a gun in public on separate occasions prior to the killing.

There are no juries in South African murder trials, so the athlete's fate will be decided by the judge, assisted by two assessors.

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Digging For The Truth Over Russia And Ukraine

Trying to separate fact from fiction is part of a journalist's job, but in Moscow you have to learn to treat some reports with a large dose of scepticism.

On Tuesday afternoon, the Russian state news channel Rossiya 24 reported that between four and 11 people had been killed when Ukrainian government forces recaptured control of an airfield in Kramatorsk, which had earlier been controlled by pro-Russian protesters. 

Other Russian news agencies reported several deaths.

It seemed as if it might be a watershed moment, likely to trigger a military response from the Kremlin which has pledged to protect ethnic Russians.

The Russian Foreign Ministry issued a statement expressing deep concern and saying events were developing into a "worst case scenario."

But later reports filed by international news organisations such as Reuters and the Associated Press revealed a much less serious incident.

True, Ukrainian soldiers had arrived at the scene and took some verbal abuse from protesters.

Warning shots may have been fired and an officer had his hat knocked off in scuffles.

Tension remains and it is always a worrying development when a country's military confronts its own citizens.

But it still seems some way short of the civil war that Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said Ukraine was on the brink of.

Armed men stand near armoured personnel carriers in Slavyansk

Equally, those who suggest that everyone who has manned a barricade or occupied a government office in eastern Ukraine is either a Russian agent or cajoled by the Kremlin is also exaggerating.

Yes, there appear to be many examples of men taking charge who display some form of military training, but recent video footage of people forcing a Ukrainian tank to turn around suggests they were angry locals rather than crack troops. 

When the West cries too loudly about Russian influence it can drown out the genuine voices of those Ukrainians in the East who don't like the western-leaning interim government in Kiev. 

The Russian media ridicules the EU and the US for lauding the civil protests which forced elected President Viktor Yanukovych to flee the country, and yet the same governments condemn Russian-speaking Ukrainians supporters for being angry about what they view as an illegitimate coup.

The truth is out there, and the UN has published a version of it, which found claims of attacks on ethnic Russians had been deliberately exaggerated to justify Russian intervention in Crimea last month.

A woman takes a picture of potentially pro-Russian soldiers

The UN Human Rights report said assaults were not widespread and that reports of nationalist extremists "coming armed to persecute ethnic Russians in Crimea were systematically used to create a climate of fear and insecurity that reflected on support to integration of Crimea into the Russian Federation".

The Russian foreign ministry said the UN report was "one-sided, politicised and not objective", adding: "One gets the impression that the report was fabricated to correspond with conclusions formed in advance."

The annexation of Crimea was popular in Russia because it returned a territory which was historically Russian, but which was ceded to Ukraine during the Soviet era when Moscow still retained overall control.

But there appears to be little appetite among ordinary Russians for trying to seize chunks of eastern Ukraine, even if many of those who live there speak Russian.

Lisa Zelaney, a student at Moscow State University, told Sky News she had friends in Ukraine and, although she supported Crimea returning to Russian control, the current situation was different, and she was dubious about Russian media reports.  

Armed men drive military vehicles outside Kramatorsk

"When you hear people say, 'Yes, we want Russian people to get here and help us get rid of this government, that we don't like it,'  that's not usually the truth.

"I think we should leave this country alone and let them themselves decide what they need."

Pensioner Vladimir Pantileymonovich told us: "By no means should Russia interfere in the eastern Ukraine situation. It's their own business."

And Dina Boulatova added: "We should definitely not get into it, otherwise there will be huge problems for Russia. The two sides there should take a step towards each other."

But another man was more sympathetic to Kremlin policy.

Ukrainian soldiers clash in a field with pro-Russian protesters

Elizarov Leonid Mikhailovich said: "For me personally everything is very clear. The majority of the population expressed their opinion. They said what they wanted and how they wanted it.

"The methods that the Kiev authorities are using now are horrible. They were elected in a barbarous way.

"I think the majority in Ukraine understand this government does not have a future.

"I may not support Putin or like him but on this issue I completely support him. Russia is strong enough now to support its people."

As for criticism of a foreign government meddling in the affairs of another, the Russian media reported on evidence to confirm their suspicions the interim government in Kiev came to power as the result of an American-backed coup. 

The confirmation by the White House that CIA director John Brennan was a visitor to Kiev at the weekend fuelled Moscow suspicions of the agency's involvement in supporting the Maidan protesters.

The White House said his arrival in Ukraine was simply part of a wider European tour.

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South Korea: 295 Missing After Ferry Sinks

Almost 300 people are missing after a ferry sank off the coast of South Korea.

Four people have been confirmed dead so far - including a male student, a female crew member and another unidentified man.

The South Korean Coastguard says 174 people have been rescued so far but more than 280 remain unaccounted for.

Rescued passengers are brought ashore

The ferry, with 462 people and 150 vehicles on board, was sailing to the southern island of Jeju when it sent a distress call at 9am local time (1am UK time) on Wednesday morning as it began listing to one side.

Within two hours it had completely capsized, with only the front part of its hull visible above the water.

A cause has yet to be established, although one witness told television channel YTN there had been a "loud impact and noise" before it began sinking.

95% of the ship is now submerged

Captain John Noble, a marine salvage expert, told Sky News the most likely explanation was the ferry hit a rock.

He added that passengers would have struggled to get off the ferry quite soon after it began listing.

"Once a ship gets beyond 20 degrees it is impossible for passengers to stand up without holding onto something," he said.

Rescue crews set off flares as darkness falls

"Once a ship gets to its side you completely lose your orientation. Those poor people would really have relied on rescuers to get them out.

"It's truly remarkable so many rescue crews got there so quickly."

The 338 pupils and teachers on board were from Danwon High School in Ansan, near Seoul. They were reportedly on their way to the Jeju island for a four-day trip.

The ferry ran into difficulties 60 miles south of the Korean peninsula

One student, Lim Hyung-min, told YTN he jumped into the ocean wearing a life jacket with other students and then swam to a rescue boat.

"As the ferry was shaking and tilting, we all tripped and bumped into each another," he said.

He said the ocean was "so cold", adding: "I was hurrying, thinking that I wanted to live."

Some of those rescued are being cared for in a gymnasium.

The 6,825-ton ship left Incheon port, west of Seoul, on Tuesday evening and ran into difficulties about 60 miles (100km) south of the Korean peninsula.

The news agency AP is reporting 55 injuries, including people with burns, hypothermia and fractured bones. 

A total of 18 helicopters, 87 rescue boats and 160 divers rushed to the scene, according to AP.

459 people were on the ship when it started to sink

The US Navy has dispatched its amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard to aid the operation.

Fishing and other commercial vessels appeared to rescue many passengers before emergency teams arrived.

Passenger Kim Seong-mok told YTN he was "certain" people were trapped inside as water quickly rushed into the vessel, and the severe tilt of the ferry stopped them getting out.

87 rescue boats are at the scene

Some people yelled at those who could not get out, urging them to break windows, he said.

Another passenger said an announcement was made on board telling them to stay put.

"It was fine. Then the ship went 'boom' and there was a noise of cargo falling," said Cha Eun-ok, who was on the deck of the ferry taking photographs at the time.

It took just two hours for the ship to capsize

"The on-board announcement told people to stay put. People who stayed are trapped."

Darkness has now fallen in South Korea and the rescue operation is also being hampered by muddy waters.

"There is so much mud in the sea water and the visibility is very low," Lee Gyeong-Og, the vice minister of security and public administration, told a press briefing in Seoul.

A mother reacts to seeing her son on the list of those rescued

There are concerns storms could affect the operation tomorrow.

Those rescued are being taken to the nearby Jindo Island, where medical teams are wrapping them in blankets, checking for injuries and directing them towards a school gymnasium.

Meanwhile, screams of anguish have been heard as parents of the children on board gather at their high school in Ansan, desperate for news.

The ship, Sewol

An official from the company that owns the ship apologised for the tragedy.

"I would like to say sorry to the passengers including a number of students and their parents, and promise that our company will do its best to minimise loss of life. We are sorry," said Kim Young-boong, from Chunghaejin Marine Corporation.

One of the dead was found inside the sinking ferry, while another died soon after arriving at the Mokpo Hankook hospital on the mainland.

More follows...

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William And Kate Touch Down For Oz Trip

By Paul Harrison, Royal Correspondent

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are in Australia with their son George for the second part of their Antipodean tour.

The royal couple touched down on Australian soil to whoops of delight from waiting crowds.

Many of them had been waiting hours to see the family arrive, with a teenage girl and her mother saying they had come especially from Lebanon "to see Kate, George and, of course, William".

The visit comes as a newly published poll shows the royals are increasingly popular among Australians, with support for a republic in Australia dropping to its lowest level in more than two decades.

The Duchess carried a wriggling baby George down the steps of the aircraft and then handed him over to his father so she could accept a bouquet of flowers.

The couple travelled on to Sydney for the start of their 10-day tour, as crowds of people 10 deep surged forward to greet the royals on their arrival at the iconic landmark on the harbour.

One well-wisher, Ailsa Martin from the Bondi area, had been queuing from the early hours.

George was carried out of the plane by his mother

"We've been waiting for this moment for such a long time. I can't believe they are here at last. Kate even arrived in yellow for Australia."

Australia has seen a resurgence in support for the royal family in recent times, especially among younger generations.

Adam Scott from North Sydney said: "The rest of the world thinks we are against the monarchy. But really we want it as much as places like New Zealand."

In a speech at the reception, William said he and his wife had been looking forward to the visit for a long time.

He reminded his audience of the special place Australia had in the heart of his grandmother, the Queen.

He said: "Her Majesty spoke recently of how, since her first visit here 60 years ago, she has been privileged to witness Australia's growing economy and flowering self-confidence.

"For Catherine, Harry and me, born in the early 80s, we've never known anything else - Australia and Australians have always been for us a beacon of confidence, creativity in the arts and sporting ability."

Crowds turned out to greet the increasingly popular royal family

The proud father could not resist mentioning his firstborn, saying: "I don't think I could finish these brief words to you without mentioning one other family member, George, who is now busy forging his own link with Australia.

"Catherine and I were very grateful for the many kind messages and gifts from across the country that we received when George was born."

The eight-month-old prince is expected to make an appearance on Sunday when his parents take him to Taronga zoo in Sydney, where an enclosure housing bilbys - a rabbit-like marsupial - will be named after him.

William joked: "I suspect George's first word might be 'bilby' - only because koala is harder to say. We really look forward to our time here together as a family."

The Duke and Duchess left the Opera House to screams and shouts as the "Kate effect" took hold.

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Ukraine Militants Ask 'Worried' Putin For Help

Vladimir Putin has said he is "very worried" about events in eastern Ukraine, where pro-Russian militants are occupying government buildings in defiance of a warning from Kiev to stand down.

The Kremlin has responded to a request for help from a separatist leader in Slavyansk, where at least two people were killed in clashes with Ukrainian forces on Sunday.

Mr Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: "Unfortunately, there are a great many such appeals coming from the eastern Ukrainian regions addressed directly to Putin to intervene in this or that form.

"The president is watching the developments in eastern Ukraine with great concern."

The comment echoes language used ahead of the annexation of Crimea last month, when the Kremlin said appeals from ethnic Russians "would not be ignored" after key buildings were seized by pro-Moscow "self-defence" forces.

Pro-Russian forces detain a man in eastern Ukraine

Armed men are occupying numerous government buildings across eastern Ukraine despite the passing of a deadline set by acting president Oleksandr Turchynov for protesters to lay down their weapons. 

The President also threatened a "large-scale anti-terrorist operation" to reclaim the east, although there is no sign of that as yet.

The eastern city of Horlivka became the latest city to be targeted on Monday, when at least 100 armed men entered a police station and forced riot officers to withdraw from the area.

They were seen smashing windows, ransacking the building and setting up barricades in footage beamed around the world via a live stream online.

Pro-Russian forces have asked Vladimir Putin to help them

Protesters in Ukraine's east, which has a large ethnic Russian population, hope to follow in the footsteps of the Crimean Peninsula and force a referendum on joining the Russian Federation.

The area was a strong bastion of support for ousted President and Kremlin ally Viktor Yanukovych and many residents fear they will be suppressed under the new Western-friendly interim government in Kiev.

In the eastern city of Mariupol, Sky News Moscow Correspondent Katie Stallard said militants occupying a council building have had assurances that police in the city are "on their side".

She said: "They are reinforcing their barricades, bringing more tyres, more sandbags. They are telling us that they are appealing to Russia for help and saying they will stay in that building until victory.

"They are paying no heed whatsoever to this deadline from the acting president."

Militants have seized buildings in key eastern cities

President Turchynov earlier claimed he had no objection to holding a referendum as he was confident the majority of Ukrainians would support an "independent, democratic and unitary Ukraine".

However his office has asked the United Nations to send peacekeepers to help the carry conduct a "joint anti-terrorist operation in the east."

A peacekeeper deployment would have to be authorised by the UN Security Council, in which Russia holds a veto.

But the interim government in Kiev did receive a boost when the US signed a $1bn loan guarantee designed to help Ukraine's ailing economy.

World leaders warned the violent seizure of the government buildings was a "dangerous escalation" in the crisis.

David Cameron spoke to German Chancellor Angela Merkel and the pair agreed that the building occupations should be condemned and foreign secretaries in Luxembourg should discuss how work on sanctions can be accelerated.

Foreign Secretary William Hague said denials of Russian involvement did not have "a shred of credibility".

Burning tyres at a checkpoint in Slaviansk

He said: "What has happened in eastern Ukraine over the last 48 hours is clearly a further escalation of the crisis in Ukraine and it is a very dangerous one because of course it could lead to other measures being taken on both sides.

"There can't be any real doubt that this is something that has been planned and brought about by Russia. The forces involved are well-armed, well-trained, well-equipped, well-coordinated, behaving exactly the same way as what turned out to be Russian forces behaved in Crimea before the full Russian military takeover of Crimea.

"So it has all the appearances of a further gross, deliberate and premeditated violation of the independence and sovereignty of Ukraine." 

The UK's ambassador to the UN, Sir Mark Lyall Grant, told the Security Council that satellite images show between 35,000 and 40,000 Russian troops are massed near the Ukraine border, in addition to the 25,000 "illegally" in Crimea.

Pro-Russian protesters detain a man in Luhansk

Sir Mark said there were increasing signs of Russian involvement in orchestrating the violence.

"We want to use this Security Council meeting to expose that but also warn Russia against using events in eastern Ukraine as a pretext for further military escalation in the region," he said.

Russian ambassador Vitaly Churkin told the meeting he is alarmed by Ukraine's announcement of a "full-scale anti-terror operation" to seize back occupied areas.

He denied Western claims that Moscow is behind the violence, and said Kiev has been using neo-Nazi forces to destabilise its eastern region.

"It is the West that will determine the opportunity to avoid civil war in Ukraine," he said.

Hundreds of civilians have come out in support of the activists

"Some people, including in this chamber, do not want to see the real reasons for what is happening in Ukraine and are constantly seeing the hand of Moscow in what is going on. Enough. That is enough."

He said Russian-speaking people in eastern Ukraine are "concerned about their future" and "don't want radicals to impose their will on them".

Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov later demanded explanations after claiming there were reports the head of the CIA was visiting Ukraine.

European Union foreign ministers are holding talks later today to discuss how to toughen sanctions against Russia without losing the support of EU governments worried about Moscow switching off the gas to Europe.

EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said in a statement: "The Russian Federation is urged to call back its troops from the Ukrainian border and to cease any further actions aimed at destabilising Ukraine."

Prime Minister David Cameron said the UK would "press for a firm and united response".

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Seven Dead Babies Found In Cardboard Boxes

A woman has been arrested after police found seven dead babies stuffed in cardboard boxes at her former home.

Megan Huntsman was held after officers were called to her old house near Salt Lake City, Utah.

She is said to have given birth to the children between 1996 and 2006.

The investigation began when officers received a call from her estranged husband about a dead infant in a house in Pleasant Grove.

Huntsman, who moved out of the house three years ago, has been charged with murder.

Megan Huntsman's former home where the bodies were discovered

A spokesman for Pleasant Grove Police said officers had "responded to the residence and observed the body of a newborn infant that appeared to be full term".

He said: "A search warrant was obtained for the residence and during the execution of the warrant, officers discovered six additional infant bodies.

"Each infant was found packaged in separate containers."

Police Captain Michael Roberts said the man who made the call had lived with Huntsman, but was not a person of interest in the investigation.

"We don't believe he had any knowledge of the situation," Cpt Roberts said.

When asked how the man could not have known, he replied, "That's the million-dollar question. Amazing."

The bodies were sent to the Utah medical examiner's office for tests, including one to determine the cause of death.

DNA samples have been from the suspect and her husband to determine definitively whether the two are the parents.

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Ohio Man Ordered To Hold 'I Am A Bully' Sign

A man has spent hours sitting on a street corner with a sign declaring he is a bully as part of his sentence for harassing a neighbour and her disabled children.

Edmond Aviv, 62, says the punishment was unfair and had ruined his life.

"The judge destroyed me," Aviv said. "This isn't fair at all."

The sign read: "I Am a bully. I pick on children that are disabled, and I am intolerant of those that are different from myself."

Its wording was selected by Municipal Court Judge Gayle Williams-Byers.

As he displayed the sign on Sunday in South Euclid, Ohio, dozens of drivers honked their horns and some passers-by stopped to take pictures and yelled at Aviv.

One shouted. "You are a horrid excuse for a human."

The sentence stemmed from a neighbourhood dispute in which a woman said Aviv had bullied her and her disabled children for 15 years.

Sandra Prugh claimed in a letter to the court that Aviv had spat on her several times and called her an ethnic slur while she was holding her adopted black children, one of whom has cerebral palsy and the other epilepsy.

The married mother, whose husband has dementia and whose son is paralysed, also alleged Aviv had thrown dog faeces onto her son's car on one occasion, and smeared it on a wheelchair ramp.

Aviv pleaded no contest to a misdemeanour disorderly conduct charge, and the judge ordered him to display the sign for five hours.

Aviv was also sentenced to serve 15 days in jail, ordered to attend anger management classes and counselling, as well as write a letter to Ms Prugh, in which he expressed remorse for his "irrational" behaviour. 

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Nigeria Bus Station Blast Kills At Least 71

An explosion has ripped through a busy commuter bus station on the outskirts of Nigeria's capital, killing dozens of people as they were travelling to work.

Police said 71 people have been confirmed dead so far, and 124 more were wounded. But the death toll is likely to go up.

Body parts and blood were strewn across the station, as rescue workers scrambled to contain the chaos that followed the attack. 

"I saw bodies taken away in open trucks," said witness Yakubu Mohammed.

"It is difficult to count them because the bodies were burnt and in pieces."

Chaos followed the explosion at the busy bus station

The private Channels television network showed thick black smoke rising above the bus station. 

The blast destroyed more than 30 vehicles and caused secondary explosions as their fuel tanks exploded and burned.

It hit the Nyanya Bus Park station about five miles (8km) south of Nigeria's capital, Abuja, at rush hour.

"I was waiting to get on a bus when I heard a deafening explosion then saw smoke," said Mimi Daniels, who works in Abuja.

"People were running around in panic".

There was no immediate claim of responsibility but suspicion is likely to fall on Islamist militant group Boko Haram, which has waged an increasingly bloody insurgency in the northeast.

Suspicion is likely to fall on Boko Haram Islamist militants

The terrorist network has been threatening to attack the capital.

Boko Haram - which means "Western education is forbidden"  - claimed a 2011 suicide bombing by two explosives-laden cars that drove into the lobby of the United Nations office building in Abuja.

The attack killed at least 21 people and wounded 60.

They have also staged attacks on schools, villages, markets, military bases and checkpoints as it has sought to force an Islamic state in Nigeria.

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Oscar Pistorius Weeps 'For Himself' In Court

Oscar Pistorius has been accused of weeping for himself, not his tragic girlfriend, during another emotional day at his murder trial.

Pistorius broke down several times, leading to court adjournments, as he was asked to explain alleged inconsistencies in his story. 

Prosecutor Gerrie Nel put it to Pistorius that Reeva Steenkamp "fled for her life" as Pistorius "shouted and screamed" at her before shooting her dead. 

As he began his sixth day of evidence, the athlete was accused of lying in court and using his emotional state as "an escape".

A woman hugs Pistorius as he enters court

Mr Nel told Pistorius: "Today I'm going to prove your version of events is untrue. That you tailored your version, concocted your story.

"Your version is so improbable that it cannot reasonably possibly be true."

Referring to the moment Pistorius shot Ms Steenkamp dead after "hearing a noise" in the toilet, Mr Nel asked: "What is your defence?"

"I heard the noise and I did not have time to interpret it and fired out of fear," Pistorius said.

Mr Nel replied: "You know exactly what you were doing, you fired at Reeva. You fired at her."

Pistorius broke down as he replied: "It's not true my lady."

Mr Nel interrupted: "Why are you getting emotional now?"

"I did not fire at Reeva," Pistorius wept.

After a short break Pistorius returned to the witness box.

Mr Nel said: "I'm going to argue that you got emotional because you got your defences mixed up."

"No," Pistorius said.

"Getting your defences mixed up - that's why you get emotional," Mr Nel said. 

Just before lunch, the prosecutor once again questioned the motivation for an emotional outburst by the defendant.

Responding to Mr Nel's claims he had been "lucky" not to be hit by a ricochet, Pistorius sobbed: "Why would that be lucky, she lost her life, my lady?"

A photograph shows the bullet holes in the toilet door

Mr Nel replied: "Now, you are getting emotional again - it's not worth it." 

After lunch, Pistorius denied he shot Ms Steenkamp dead as she spoke to him, hiding behind the toilet door.

Mr Nel said: "Reeva would only have been with her right hip at the door if she was standing behind the door talking to you."

He continued: "All the screams and shouts were at her and she fled for her life.

"Why would she be there if she was not talking to you? My case is that he knows that he shot her while she was talking to him."

Earlier, Pistorius raised his voice in the witness box when asked to explain what he had said to the "intruders" in his bathroom on the night of the shooting. 

Breaking down into more sobs, he shouted: "I said 'get the **** out of my house, I said get the **** out of my house'."

Pistorius, 27, spoke softly and appeared low in energy as he responded to the prosecutor's questions. 

Reeva Steenkamp was shot in the toilet of Pistorius' home

Mr Nel asked: "Today I pick up that you are not sure about things. Is there anything wrong?"

Pistorius replied: "No."

On another occasion, Mr Nel asked: "Is there something wrong with you? You are touching your eyes."

Pistorius replied: "My eyes are sore."

Mr Nel said: "Why are you touching your eyes now?"

The judge then interrupted Mr Nel, to stop his line of questioning. 

Pistorius admits shooting his 29-year-old girlfriend dead on Valentine's Day last year - but says he believed that she was an intruder.

This morning, Pistorius denied there had been an argument before the shooting and the model was planning to leave the flat. 

Pistorius is surrounded by security as he enters the court

On several occasions, Pistorius was questioned over alleged inconsistencies in his evidence.

The prosecutor focused on Pistorius' court account that he had heard a door closing in the toilet - making him believe intruders may be in there.

Mr Nel said: "There's not a single word of the door shutting in your bail statement, why not?"

"I'm not sure - I don't know why," Pistorius replied.

"It's even more devastating that it's not in your plea statement," Mr Nel continued.

"I don't know why," Pistorius replied.

"It's because you invented it," Mr Nel asserted.

Reeva Steenkamp was a model and minor TV celebrity

Pistorius conceded he "made a mistake" when he said last week that he "whispered" to Ms Steenkamp to stay low on the night of the shooting.

He admitted that he "spoke in a low tone", rather than whispered. Mr Nel accused Pistorius of "tailoring his evidence".

Pistorius replied: "I don't understand why I would be tailoring my evidence by saying 'whisper'."

He was also asked why he had initially said he "heard a noise" on the night of the shooting but later changed that to "hearing a window sliding open".

Pistorius explained: "When my bail was done, I was in a holding cell, I was on medication, I was traumatised - it was not made clear to me that it was exhaustive."

Earlier, the athlete was mobbed outside the court by supporters with white balloons and Christians, playing and singing music.

One of the supporters clung to his hand for several seconds, while another appeared to hug him, as he walked into the high court in Pretoria.  

Some held banners which read "Ozzy, we love you" and "hero".

Pistorius denies premeditated murder and illegally possessing ammunition in relation to Ms Steenkamp's death.

He also denies two further counts related to shooting a gun in public on separate occasions prior to the killing.

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Interrogation Pokes Holes In Pistorius Defence

By Emma Hurd, Sky Correspondent, in Pretoria

After a weekend of respite, Oscar Pistorius will return to the witness box on Monday to face more questions under cross-examination in his murder trial.

His account of the shooting that left his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp dead has already been challenged in three days of tough interrogation.

This has exposed some of the weaknesses in his defence and posed questions that could prove crucial to judge Thokozile Masipa's eventual verdict.

:: Where was Reeva?

The crucial issue of why the athlete failed to realise his girlfriend was not in the bed when he went with his gun to investigate a noise coming from the bathroom was the focus of many of prosecutor Gerrie Nel's questions.

Oscar Pistorius said he had spoken to Reeva Steenkamp in the bedroom and asked her to call the police when he heard what he thought was an intruder.

Gerrie Nel has appeared incredulous at some of Pistorius' evidence

He said he was "fixated on the noise" and did not think it was strange that she had not replied.

Mr Nel insisted that it was "unreasonable" to believe that, given that Ms Steenkamp was in the toilet, she would not have shouted out to the runner who had been screaming "at intruders" just metres away.

The prosecution also pressed the athlete on whether he had heard Ms Steenkamp screaming when he fired shots into the toilet door.

The runner said he was sure she had not screamed but was forced to admit that he might not have heard her because of the sound of the shots.

:: Did he intend to shoot?

The issue of intent is vital in a murder trial and the prosecution has attempted to show Oscar Pistorius shot to kill that night - whoever he thought he was firing at.

The athlete insisted he "fired out of fear" after hearing a noise from the toilet. His said he did not have time to think and that it was "a mistake".

The prosecution repeatedly stressed that Pistorius approached the toilet with his gun held out and the safety catch off ready to shoot, even "wanting to shoot".

He knew someone might be in the small, enclosed space of the toilet, Mr Nel claimed, and the shooting was a deliberate act.

:: Why did he go towards the threat?

Another difficult moment for Oscar Pistorius came when Gerrie Nel asked him why he went towards the danger of the noise in the bathroom.

The athlete could not explain why - if he thought there was an intruder - he had not taken Reeva Steenkamp and escaped out into the safety of the rest of the house through the bedroom door.

Pistorius admitted he had to walk right past the exit from the bedroom to get to the bathroom.

"It is my personality not to run away," he insisted, while re-iterating that he wanted to protect Ms Steenkamp.

The prosecution has declared his whole defence "a lie".

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Mini-Sub To Be Used As Plane Search Narrows

The commander of the Royal Navy ship searching for flight MH370 has told Sky News they are getting close to sending down a mini-submarine to hunt for wreckage.

HMS Echo is working with Australian vessel Ocean Shield to locate the Boeing 777-200's black box before it runs out of power.

The plane carrying 239 people vanished from radar on March 8 and is thought to have crashed in the southern Indian Ocean, around 1,500 miles off Australia's west coast.

Ocean Shield, towing a US Navy device to detect signals from the plane's fading beacons, first picked up two underwater "pings" consistent with those from a black box on April 5.

This was followed by two more in the same area three days later.

HMS Echo is searching the southern Indian Ocean for the missing jet

The crew of HMS Echo are analysing the signals by looking at the currents and ocean depth of around 2.8 miles (4.5km) to try to pin-point the plane's wreckage.

The underwater search zone has been narrowed to around 500 square miles (1,300 square km) - roughly the size of Los Angeles.

Phillip Newell, commanding officer of HMS Echo, told Sky News: "We believe we have come close to that point now where we can move to the next stage and deploy a remote vehicle which can go down to the correct depth and search the sea bed."

The Bluefin-21 can search between 20 and 40 square miles a day

The crew will use Bluefin-21, a mini-submarine used to find the Air France plane that crashed into the Atlantic in 2009, to search the sea bed for debris.

But major hindrances still remain, and it could be years before the Malaysia Airlines jet is found, radar expert Professor David Stupples told Sky News.

The search is also set to be hampered by bad weather this week.

Sunday's planned search area

Eleven military aircraft, one civil aircraft and 14 ships are taking part in today's search, said the Joint Agency Coordination Centre, the international body leading the hunt.

It said there have been no confirmed acoustic detections over the past 24 hours.

The batteries that power signals from the plane's flight data and cockpit voice recorders last only about a month and it has been more than five weeks since the plane disappeared.

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Ukraine: Fatal Clashes As Protests Spread

Kiev Faces 'Difficult Decisions' Over Protests

Updated: 11:04pm UK, Thursday 10 April 2014

By Katie Stallard, Moscow Correspondent, in Donetsk

Support for the protests in Donetsk, Ukraine, depends largely on the question you ask.

This may seem like a blindingly obvious point, but the immediate demands are not quite what they seemed.

The self-appointed People's Council of Deputies, in session inside the occupied administration building, told Sky News they want a referendum on the region's sovereignty, not on joining Russia.

The council's leader insisted they have had no official contact with the Russian government so far, although they have just voted unanimously to create a foreign affairs committee, to make exactly that possible.

And he did go on to say Russian peacekeeping troops could help to secure a referendum here.

Another deputy told us joining Russia would be "like coming home", but it would not be on the ballot paper.

Outside, we were surrounded by a crowd of people, demanding to know which channel we were working for (there are deep suspicions here about Western media, and even more so Ukrainian TV).

Satisfied that we were from the Moscow bureau, and that our producer and cameraman are Russian and therefore apparently not susceptible to 'Western lies', they started showing us their passports - to prove that they are Ukrainian, not hired Russian stooges as has been claimed.

Many feel passionately about what is happening here, but by no means all dream of joining Russia.

Over and over they told us they want sovereignty and federalisation - they see Russia as potential guarantors, and protection from the fascists and extremists they believe control the government in Kiev.

Forced to choose, one woman told us, between Russia and the EU, she would of course vote for Russia, but she would prefer an autonomous region in Eastern Ukraine.

In the city centre, away from the protests around the administration building and the watchful eyes of the "self-defence" volunteers patrolling outside, we spoke to a variety of people to try to gauge opinion.

Of 20 people asked, all but one supported federalisation. Support for joining Russia is less emphatic, but still preferable to the majority over the new government in Kiev.

The Kremlin strategists seem to have assessed the mood astutely - protesters shown on state-controlled TV channels in Russia are being described as "supporters of federalism" now, not separatists or pro-Russian.

Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov has talked several times about the appetite for federalism in Ukraine.

Of course, an autonomous, sovereign eastern Ukraine, would also be open to overtures from Moscow, and likely easily persuaded to remain within its sphere of influence.

If that region went on to join the Russian Federation in time, so be it, but if at least then would not move towards the EU, that would still be a form of victory for the Kremlin.

It's a precarious situation for the government in Kiev and there are difficult decisions ahead.

Crack down on the protests in the east and risk galvanising a broader uprising against an administration many already associate with extremists and fascists, and give Russia the pretext it needs to show Russian lives are in danger and it must act to protect them.

Accede to demands for a referendum and risk losing the east, and the country's economic backbone, to Russia's influence, and perhaps ultimately to Russia itself.

Refuse to recognise any referendum that does take place (not a successful tactic in Crimea) or hope that turnout is too low to validate it, or the self-appointed people's councils are unable to organise it - none of which are really much of a plan.

Meanwhile Russia's military continues to mass on the border - nothing for the US or Ukraine to worry about, they insisted earlier this week, which will have reassured no-one.

The protests here are not huge, but the emotions that sparked them run deep, and it is difficult to see an easy way out.

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Royal Tour Baby Rumours Spark Media Frenzy

A white-knuckle boat ride, a vineyard visit, and a rugby game provided a hectic itinerary for William and Kate on their tour of New Zealand, as rumours swirled there could be a new addition to the royal household.

Speculation there may be another baby on the way was sparked after the Duke of Cambridge apparently told a woman who knitted a shawl for Prince George she "might have to make another one soon".

But the hype was dampened down somewhat after the couple went on a jet boat ride which passengers are advised to avoid if they are pregnant.

The Duchess had also sipped wine during a visit to a vineyard, suggesting the pitter patter of more tiny feet was not imminent.

William was able to even the score with his wife at a "Rippa Rugby" game

The jet boat's captain Wayne Paton told Sky News: "It is in our safety brief that we have to ask if anyone is pregnant, back injuries, anything else medically that they think they should tell us, and I asked that and there was no answer from anyone, so I took it that would be a no."

The royal couple, who had flown to Queenstown on New Zealand's South Island, had the full tourist experience during the hair-raising trip on the fast flowing Shotover River, which is one of the country's most popular attractions.

Mr Paton, who drove the boat designed to be able to speed along in water just a few inches deep, said: "They loved it. There were some screams but not from them."

The pair sampled a pinot noir at a winery near Queenstown

Earlier, the Duke and Duchess had toured a winery.

The pair sampled the pinot noir made at the Amisfield Winery near Queenstown.

Prince William joked that he and his wife should "probably stop talking and start drinking", as they began the tasting.

The Duke was also able to level the score with his wife after coaching a children's "Rippa Rugby" team to victory over opponents led by Kate.

It followed a drubbing he had received last week at the hands of the the Duchess, after she comprehensively beat him in a yachting challenge.

He could not help teasing his wife and looked in her direction and said: "Next time, next time."

Following a church service in Dunedin the couple went on a walkabout

The royal couple were casually dressed for the event with Kate in a cream jumper by Jonathan Saunders, white blouse, dark leggings and pumps, while William had a similar outfit of sweater, shirt and trousers.

Their day's schedule had also seen them do a walkabout following a Palm Sunday church service at St Paul's Cathedral in Dunedin.

They are undertaking a 19-day official visit to New Zealand and Australia with Prince George.

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