brian williams joins us next with "nightly news." >> we'll see you at 6:00. >> on our broadcast tonight, race against time if anyone is still alive and trapped inside that capsized ferry. tonight, the young girl that's been pulled to safety and the outrage among the captain the first to escape and why lifeboats went down with the ship. caught on camera, the incident that has a big city dumping 38 million gallons of water and a lot of people questioning the season. mean season, one of the most brutal minters in memory now triggeri triggering hard times for millions of allergy sufferers, and a surprise announcement tonight from a member of the clinton family. "nightly news" begins now. from nbc news world headquarters in new york, this is "nbc nightly news" with brian williams. good evening.

at this point rescuers and families have to hope and pray that survivors have found enough air to live in what was once the bottom of the hull of that ferry boat that's gone down off the coast of south korea. it's urgent enough that south korea's president today told rescuers to hurry. it appears there will be plenty of blame to go around and there will be time for that, like how and why the captain got off the vessel so soon and why so many lifeboats went down with the ship. the passengers including over 300 high school students were headed to a popular vacation island. tonight, 271 people are still missing, 179 survived, 25 are confirmed dead. it's where we begin again tonight with nbc's kir simmons. >> reporter: they are searching for a miracle, working in cold, choppy seas still hoping to find someone, anyone alive. they have hammered on the hull

but heard nothing back. this 6-year-old girl survived but her parents and older brother are still missing. she was rescued from the stricken ship without them. two days ago passengers boarded, many of them women and children. 12 hours later, sheer terror. captured on cell phone video as the ship lurched and began to sink. text messages during those final moments, many from hundreds of high school classmates onboard. i think we're going to die. i really love you-all, and a message of hope, let's all see each other alive. today, outrage at the news that almost none of the ship's lifeboats were deployed, even though one apparently carried the ship's captain to safety. today, he covered his face in shame. i'm so sorry he said. the ship's owner in tears said i've committed an unforgivable sin.

korean television reports that the ship made a sudden sharp turn just before it began to sink, perhaps causing the 180 vehicles and thousand tons of cargo on board to shift. on the scene today, giant cranes to lift the ferry from the seabed and ships and the u.s. navy. in the cold mirky waters below, divers do what they can. it's difficult, dangerous work. it's difficult pain staking and experts say dangerous. >> you're talking low visibility. you're talking unstable vessel. even in the best of times, diving into something like that will be a challenge. [crying] >> reporter: today relatives of the missing made a pilgrimage to the wreck. south korea's president made the trip and was later shouted at by furious families. they know they will never see their loved ones again. while this little girl wait, not knowing what's become of her families. kir simmons, nbc, london. also overseas today, a possible breakthrough in the ukraine crisis that could ease

the standoff that's been underway for weeks now. tamping down fears that russia will invite ukraine full out and trigger an all out war but there is also unsettling news coming out of ukraine, leaflets that have showed up in one town where russian militants took over asking jews to register. andrea mitchell watching it from the newsroom tonight. good evening. >> good evening, brian. there was more violence in eastern ukraine, but starkly different approaches from president obama and vladimir putin. overnight in eastern ukraine, government troops repelled a prorussian attack on a national guard base. three russian militants were killed. at least a dozen injured but despite russian influence a peaceful government rally. presidents obama and putin on stage today with very different visions. in geneva as diplomats met for

russia and ukraine met for the first time, agreeing for the first time to disarm all illegal forces and find a diplomatic way out. putin was belligerent. in his news conference denying the uniformed militia is russian even as he said about controlling ukraine and called it new russia. leaving obama skeptical. >> my hope is that we actually do see follow-through over the next several day, but i don't think given past performance that we can count on that. >> reporter: if russia did invade ukraine, it's no match. russia outnumbered ukraine eight to one in active forces, 20 to 1 in resefshs and has 40,000 tanks to ukraine's 3,000 and far more rocket launchers ships and combat aircraft. another ominous note today, pamphlets telling jews to register. >> in the year of 2014 after all of the miles traveled and

journey of history, this is not just intolerable, it's grotesque. it's beyond unacceptable. >> reporter: and putin seemed to enjoysticking his thumb in president obama's eye today, giving edward snowden a chance to ask a question. >> does russia analyze or store in any way the communications of millions? >> i used to be part of secret services so let us speak professionally. we do not allow ourselves to do that and i hope we never do. we do not as much money and as many devices as the u.s. to do that. >> president obama said the u.s. and europe will impose more sanctions if the situation in ukraine doesn't improve. critics say the white house is too slow to react, letting putin think he can destabilize ukraine and get away with. brian? >> andrea, thanks. at this hour, investigators

trying to find the wreckage of that missing malaysian airlines 777. they're analyzing images of the sea floor in the southern indian ocean, this after the first full successful completed mission for that unmanned sub three miles down beneath the surface. katy tor is in perth, australia, with the latest again tonight. good evening. >> reporter: good evening, brian. it is friday morning here in perth australia and it turns out is third time was a charm for bluefin 21 finally able to complete its first full pass of the ocean floor after two aborted missions. officials say they were able to greatly reduce the search zone but so far they haven't found anything of note. good news for the reduction, though, because it's unclear how much longer the governments involved will be able to keep footing the bill on this effort. in fact, earlier this week, the australian prime minister hinted at stopping the aerial search. so far they doe estimate it wil cost about $234 million.

as for the oil sick that ocean shield detected, it was analyzed back on land and brian, found it had nothing to do with mh 370. >> katy tur who has a busted wing after a jogging incident. thanks to the australian erdocs for patching up the visiting american. thanks for that report. a big municipal water system in the middle of a big fracas tonight after something got in the water. it was captured on video. city officials in portland, oregon are taking drastic measures. our report from nbc's ann thompson. >> reporter: what a waste, the city of portland is flushing 38 million gallons of water from this reservoir after a 19-year-old man did the number one thing you don't do here. >> the one guy urinated in the reservoir. >> reporter: early wednesday morning, a surveillance camera

caught the man relieving himself through the iron gate. a couple minutes later, his two companions climbed the fence and one went in the water and yes, that light you see is the men capturing the moment on a cell phone. water bureau officials say they shut down the pipes from this reservoir immediately. today, water samples came back clean, but portland officials are taking no chances. >> our customers don't expect us to send them water with human urine in it so we'll dump the reservoir. >> reporter: portland's drinking water is a source of pride, touted on the water bureau's website as the best in the world. the head of one water group doesn't think this incident will taint that reputation. >> obviously we have animals that urinate in the water every day. so it's really inconsequential in terms of urine getting in there. >> reporter: before it gets here, it's treated but there is no treatment between the rez soir and tap, a precious resource temporarily put at risk. >> the act itself is kind of unconscionable and stupid.

>> reporter: the reservoir will take a week to empty, clean and refill. the three men are cited for trespassing and the whiz kid for doing in public what should be done in a bathroom. now to the surprise announcement coming out of an event today featuring chelsea clinton and her mother and secretary of state. we learned hillary clinton is going to be a grandmother as the former first daughter broke some family news of her own. our report tonight from nbc's kate snow. >> reporter: it was the very end of an event in new york, a joint initiative for women and girls led by mother and daughter. >> i have one more thing to say. mark and i are very excited that we have our first child arriving later this year and -- >> reporter: hillary clinton was beaming. >> obviously, we're very excited about what is happening in our family and we're very excited because of what we're doing. >> reporter: excited to add a new line to my twitter bio,

grandfather-to-be bill clinton wrote today. the news isn't that unexpected. last fall chelsea said she and her husband decided to make 2014 the year of the baby, and please, she continued, call my mother and tell her that. she asks us about it every single day. at a clinton foundation event, jimmy kimmel teased the family. >> you and the president will have another child? any more children? >> no but i wouldn't mind one of those grandchildren that i hear so much about. >> shameless. >> reporter: after growing up in the public eye, she quietly earned degrees at stanford, oxford and columbia, worked a series of jobs and married mark almost four years ago. she's a special correspondent for nbc news. >> for most of my life, i did deliberately lead a private life and inadvertently led a public life. >> reporter: but now she joined the family business. the bill, hillary and chelsea clinton foundation. for years she's been saying she

herself might one day run for office but first, she may have another role, campaigning and advising her mother if she runs for president in 2016. >> nobody assumes this was done for political reasons but if it had been done in political reasons, it could not have been a the a better time. hillary clinton will have this bouncing toddler in her arms to campaign with in 2016. >> reporter: chelsea said today her mother is her role model. >> i just hope i will be as good a mom to my child and hopefully children, as my mom was to me. >> reporter: the next generation for a family always in the spotlight. kate snow, nbc news, new york. still ahead for us tonight, the mean season already underway for millions of allergy sufferers across america. why it is suddenly worse this spring, and what we're being told to do. and later, the museum quality awkward family photos that look so familiar to so many americans.

. >> this has been for millions of americans the winter of our discontent. and despite what it may say on the calendar, it's not over. just try telling folks in the upper midwest that spring is somehow here. today in minnesota, they're digging out after several inches of fresh snow, while yesterday in new york, the problem was ice falling from tall buildings. for those places that have warmed up, the bill for this winter is now coming due in the form of allergies. of course, allergy sufferers. ourort on it tonight from our chief correspondent dr. nancy snyderman. >> reporter: we're barely out of the worst winters in history and when it warms up, the spring flowers will burst with pollen making this an especially brutal season for allergies. >> i've been seeing more patients when everything thaws, moisture in the ground causes increased plant growth and will lead to more plants pollinating, so more pollen in the air. >> reporter: in cleveland, alicia and her kids kaitlyn and

patrick couldn't wait to get back outdoors. but now -- >> i'm very nervous about this year with our allergies. the grass is starting to come back to life from the long winter, so it's not looking good right now. >> reporter: the worst cities right now, all are in the south. louisville, kentucky is number one and a problem even in bigger cities like new york and los angeles. >> i'm having a hard time breathing due to allergies here in los angeles. >> my nose is stuffily with a cold for a few weeks now. >> reporter: the most severe cases can be relieved with shots personalized for each patient. alisha and her daughter caitlyn get them regularly. >> if i didn't have the allergy shots, i probably wouldn't be able to do as much as i do now. >> reporter: now there are alternatives to injections, two new prescription pills just approved by the fda treat certain grass pollen allergies. both melt under the tongue. grastek is ages 5 years to 65.

oralair for ages 10 to 65. and another ragwitek is approved for wagweed pollen. if you would rather avoid any medication, here's what you can do at home. exercise in the morning before pollen kicks up, shower before bed and clean your eye glasses, even wipe off your pets. so for those of you who are normally hit by allergy symptoms this time of year, you think you're home free, think again. the severe winter may mean a delayed symptom season for you and the next couple weeks may be brutal. adding on to this brian, a lot of people planted things around the country that weren't normally there and all it takes is a couple spring breezes and kaboom. >> proving my theory, it's always something. thanks for being with us. we're back in just a moment with the loss today of a literary giant and the amazing discovery announced today of a distant relative.

one of the giants of

literature has died. gabrielle garcia marquez was the author of "100 years of solitude." he's known as the father of the genre called magical realism. the book sold 20 million plus copies, and the great novel's william kennedy famously said it was the first piece of literature since the book of genesis that should be required reading for the entire human race. marquez wrote "love in the time of collera." and he was dealing with dementia and left behind an unfinished novel. he died at 87. a planet circling a star 500 light years away and the tun romantic name of caplar 186 f and it's notable because it's the closest match to earth they have ever seen in the heavens. it's 10% larger than earth, but not too hot, not too cold.

that could allow liquid on the surface and could mean life forms. >> a milestone in flight and exploration is being remembered 50 years later. on this date in 1964, jerrie mock became the first woman to fly solo around the world. while the media at the time called her the flying housewife. she studied aeronautical engineering at ohio state and planned her mission for months. she covered 23,000 miles in a little over a month and her idle was amelia earnhardt. her own achievement faded while the space race got under way. while she slowed down a bit, her anniversary finds her in good health and living at age 88 in the state of florida. there is a young man in texas named trey, a big nfl fan. he also happens to be friends with j.j. watt, the defensive end for the houston texans. the problem is, apparently, the other kids at trey's schools didn't believe he could possibly be friends with j.j. watt so the big defensive end has taken matters into his own hands.

>> i'm j.j. watt, this is my buddy trey, and all those of you who don't believe trey is my friend, believe this touchdown. woohoo! >> so that should clear it up and so there is no mistake about it, trey is friends with j.j. watt of the houston texans. up next for us here tonight, it's kind of an awkward story and that's exactly the point.

finally here tonight, whether we all like to admit to it or not, we all have them which is why the website awkward family photos is so hugely successful because misery loves company. of course, some awkward family photos are more awkward than others and some are just awkward enough to hang in a museum, which is exactly what has happened in southern california, where nbc's joe fryer has our report. >> reporter: the latest art exhibit inside the california heritage museum requires no hushed voices. positive reviews are delivered out loud. [ laughter ] >> reporter: the amusing images hanging on the walls come courtesy of mike bender. >> this photo always cracks me

up. >> reporter: krur ray -- curator of the awkward. >> when we go to take a family portrait, we're looking for that perfect shot but there are those other photos. >> reporter: this shows a fraction of what is on the website he created five year ago with his partner, an idea inspired by their own awkward family photos. now their digital hit is on physical display highlighted by iconic pictures like clara net boy. >> i kind of think of this photo as the mona lisa of awkward family photos. >> reporter: others are more subtle. >> a lot of these people look at this and say what is weird about that one. >> reporter: just look closely beneath the smiling family. the ratcliff sisters insist they could be on these walls, too. >> she's the big bossy sister that always had control over the situation, and i was just the -- >> unruly. >> no, free spirit.

>> reporter: and if you don't think you've ever taken an awkward photo, oh, god. [ laughter >> we're looking for a few things. >> reporter: watch what happens when mike reveals my prom portrait. >> we're looking for maybe an awkward arm an elbow pose. there is some good genuine awkwardness going on in this photo. >> reporter: their goal now -- taking this collection on tour across the country, reminding us all how perfectly normal it is tok awkward. [ laughter ] >> reporter: joe fryer, nbc news santa monica, california. you knew this was coming, of course we want to see your awkward family photos, only the most awkward will do. send them to us on social media or to our website nbcnews.com. that is for us our broadcast on a thursday night. thank you for being here with us. i'm brian williams, we hope to see you back here tomorrow evening. good night.

>> good evening and thank reallies for joining us. i'm jessica aguirre. >> this woman has disappeared at mt tam park. county officials say she was last seen near the mountain home inn. this is the second woman who's disappeared in the same area in just the last few weeks. you see our nbc chopper heading towards mt. tamaipai.

authorities searched for two weeks and then called off that search. they found her body on saturday down a steep slope. an autopsy showed no visible signs of trauma. officials admit this is that aim area within a mile. >> happening now, it's happening on the peninsula. teachers saying they're being priced out of living in their own chunty. they say it's not a good sign for the future of the bay area. that's where stephanie is live. >> reporter: pay is the big change here, jessica. good evening. you can see that we are gathered here on the corner with a lot of these teachers.