we get our report tonight from nbc's keir simmons. >> reporter: there was panic. passengers desperate to escape the sinking ship anyway they could. some jumping into the sea, rescuers raced to the scene, 18 helicopters, almost 100 ships.

we get our report tonight from nbc's keir simmons. >> reporter: there was panic. passengers desperate to escape the sinking ship anyway they could. some jumping into the sea, rescuers raced to the scene, 18 helicopters, almost 100 ships. pulling people from the ferry as it went down. inside soaked and frightened, young passengers waited for help. i almost got trapped one said. another shot this video. the water is rising she screams. others texted their parents, mom in case i don't get a chance to speak to you, i love you. dad, the ferry has tilted too much. i can't move. by nightfall, it had completely capsized, just a small section still visible. the ship called "seawall" is 480 feet long. it sank in 120 feet of water. more than 170 people survived, many of them injured but there were at least 460 people on board, including 325 students from the same high school on a holiday trip to the island known as the hawaii of korea. anxious parents gathered at the school outside seoul. this mother begged rescuers to do more, then broke down. it's still not known what caus

keir simmons has more for us. >> reporter: they are searching for a miracle, working in chool choppy seas, still hoping to find someone, anyone alive. they've hammered on the hull, but heard nothing back. this 6-year-old survived but her parents and older brother are still missing. she was rescued from the ship without them. passengers boarded the ferry at incheon, many of them women and children. 12 hours later sheer terror as the ship lurched and began to sink. text messages during those final moments, many from the hundreds of high school classmates on board. i think we're going to die. i really love you all. and a message of hope. let's all see each other alive. 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 shows the ship made a sudden, sharp turn before it began to sink, perhaps causing the 180 vehicles and thousand tons of cargo on board to

keir simmons, nbc news, london. >>> that is our broadcast on a wednesday night.nk you for being here with us. i'm brian williams. we hope to see you right back here tomorrow evening. good night. >>> nbc bay area news begins with breaking news >>> i saw the dad pointing to the kids, and the kid's waving his arms, going like help. >> a beach rescue that's not over yet. the father anxiously awaits word after his son slipped into the water at a beach. >> it happened at ocean beach along the great highway. that call came in just before 4:00. our cheryl hurd is at the scene. you've already talked to the teenager that was involved with the actual rescue. now you've talked to rescuers? >> reporter: i also talked to rescuers. and i also talked to that teenager's father. but right now san francisco fire department's rescue team and the coast guard from still here in the water, searching for a 14 year old boy. i'm told his name is marco. you probably can't see it from here, but there are several small coast guard boats, and there's also a coast guard helicopter in the air.

our report tonight from nbc's keir simmons. >> reporter: as any parent will tell you, traveling with young child can be a nightmare, future king or not. like most kids, prince george did his best to embarrass mom and dad. his first photo op, he grabbed the biggest toy and those who commented, unkindly that george looks a little grumpy but most of the time on this trip, the first of a lifetime, young george rose to the occasion. in moments like this one coming face-to-face with a rabbit-like creature. called a billaby. even that time, he seemed surprised by the applause. get used to it, george, the royal future is in your hands. the trip was a success for will and kate, too. apart from parenting they worked hard, played hard and left a great impression. >> reluctantly, katherine, george and i leave australia tomorrow. we go away with wonderful memories, and george goes away with his cuddly woman bat which he has taken to chewing so lovingly. >> reporter: since it was george who stole the show, perhaps he should have the last word. which roughly translated means, it's been fun, now ple

nbc's keir simmons joins us. >> the numbers are striking, 169 ships involved, 26 navy ships, 29 aircraft as well as the divers that you're talking about. the conditions are, though, are reported to be difficult. difficult weather, not clear visibility under the water. so a tricky search and rescue operation with 287 people including many of those high school students still missing. meanwhile, there is this growing outrage over questions over why this ship went down, we don't know the answer to that and why he abandoned ship. reports that he may have abandoned ship earlier than he should have or certainly before many passengers got off his own craft. he was seen, as you described, in a hoodie hiding his face from reporters, but he said sorry. not clear what he was saying sorry for, but the outrage is spreading meanwhile through to the political class in south korea with parents confronting the prime minister and the president are saying that more should be done. one saying, for example, to the prime minister out how dare you come here with your chin up. would you respond like this if your

keir simmons has more on this story. >> reporter: they are searching for a miracle.ng in cold, tropic seas still hoping to find someone, anyone alive. they've hammered on the hull, but heard nothing back. this 6-year-old survived but her parents and older brother are still missing. she was rescued from the stricken ship without them. passengers board the ferry at inche incheon. moments later terror as it began to sink. text messages from the hundreds of high school classmates on board. i think we're going to die. i really love you all. and a message of hope. let's all see each other alive. 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. the ship made a sudden, sharp turn just before it began to sink perhaps causing the 180 vehicles and tons of car go on board to shift. scores of ships and international flotilla including the u.s. navy. in the cold wat

but first, keir simmons has the latest. ood morning. >> reporter: amanda knox immediately declared she will appeal the ruling contained in this court document, which claims she herself carried out the killing. it sets out in detail the reasons for finding her guilty again, back in january, even after she'd won an appeal against her earlier conviction. amanda knox held the knife. she murdered a fellow student, the italian court said. her response from seattle was quick and unequivocal. i am innocent of the accusation against me, she said in a statement. this court document does not and cannot change the fact of my innocence. the victim, english student meredith kercher, 21, was subject to a terrifying onslaught. according to the italian judges, who reconvicted amanda knox. the weapons used, they say, were knives held by amanda knox and her then boyfriend raffaele sollecito. the 337-page court document says meredith kercher was overpowered by a number of aggressors and simultaneously stabbed with the blades of different knives

keir simmons in london for us this morning. keir, thank you very much. >>> meanwhile, tamron is here with some troubling new developments in that ferry accident in south korea. >> yes. frustration is boiling over this morning for relatives of people still missing from the sunken south korean ferry. also, new questions today on whether that boat was safe enough to be in the water at all. nbc's bill neely has the latest. >> reporter: good morning, tamron. investigators here now suspect that life rafts on the sunken ferry may not have worked properly. evidence growing here that the ferry operators broke the rules and risked lives. the ferry sank with passengers trapped and life rafts unused. only 2 of 46 were launched. investigators have now seized its sister ship and found life rafts and escape chutes were faulty. they raided government offices, suspecting officials were bribed to pass both ships as safe. they suspect the captain lied, that the ship was overloaded with cargo, and that the steering was faulty. do you think this shi

nbc's keir simmons is in london with more on this sorry. good morning, savannah. you're in line at the grocery store just trying to by something simple as breakfast cereal or cheese your your lunch and in front of you is someone using a credit card and taking an eternity. new customers are using a system where you can buy anything by putting your hand on a machine and the whole thing is paid for. >> reporter: who doesn't love shopping? clothes, shoes, that new car. then again, it's not all fun. there's the everyday things. like your coffee and your milk. think about how much time you spend just shopping. then there are the manly stores where you can buy things you never use like power tools. whatever you buy, at the end of it, isn't always a cash register. for as long as anyone could remember, you'd pay for goods like this with cash or maybe write a check. then, of course, can begin to use credit cards. but now -- i'll have one of those please -- you can pay for this kind of stuff with the palm of your hand. actually, it's the veins in your

nbc's keir simmons is at his post at buckingham palace. ey, savannah, good morning. i'm going to take a risk here, make a prediction. kate is not pregnant. why do i say that? because on this trip, we have seen her in a motor boat going 50 miles per hour, we have seen her doing a wine tasting. even about to see her get out on a sports field. having said all that, remember, william's mom and dad, of course, had two children, so it wouldn't be surprising if they were talking about it. another thing we've seen on this trip is kate learning from diana every step of the way. while pretty much everything kate does becomes instantly fashionable, high heels on the sports field may not set a trend. and she and william did not look like protective expectant parents playing cricket. but the rumor is prince george could soon have a brother or sister. william is said to have told a woman who knitted a shawl for his first born, you might have to make another one soon. >> i don't think she is pregnant, but look, prince william has made no secret of the fac

nbc's keir simmons has the latest. keir, good morning. >> reporter: hey, tamron, good morning.t is now the center of a labor dispute, but as you say, it comes after the mountain saw its deadliest day. beneath the legendary peaks of everest, something unheard of is happening. sherpas known for their dedication are refusing to work. a deadly avalanche on this slope killed at least 13 sherpas friday. their grieving families offered just $400 in initial government compensation, according to reports. >> they've lost their breadwinners, they've lost their husbands, their fathers, their sons. >> reporter: each year, nepal's government makes millions in climbing fees. ed had hoped to become the oldest american to reach the summit. he was there when the sherpas, including a close friend, were killed. >> i'll be back next year or the year after. ash will never be back with his family. >> reporter: sherpas quietly carry out most of the work on everest, but as the numbers of climbers have increased, tension has mounted. there was even a fight between a group of sherpas and climbers last ye

nbc's keir simmons is in london with more. keir, good morning. >> reporter: hey, natalie, good morning. it turns out he just missed his mom. that california teen who you say hid in the wheel well of a plane for that death defying journey is said to have not seen his mom for eight years. the teen stowaway who risked his life in a 2,000-mile journey on a 767 was reportedly trying to get here. a dusty refugee camp. a hut covered by blankets, and his mom. who cries when she talks about what he did. he tried to fly to africa, just to see me, she says. he misses me. the boy, 15, lives in california with his dad and step mom. he snuck on to the san jose tarmac and apparently climbed into a plane's wheel well to make a journey few survive, landing in hawaii, but africa, his mom's home in ethiopia, was his destination, she says, claiming his dad told him she was dead. his dad took my children to the u.s. without my knowledge, she says. she hopes to move to california so she can be finally reunited with a son who took a terrifying risk j