18/04/2014 ABC World News with Diane Sawyer

harder than this. Plenty more on our website. Now the

news from across the US, as seen a couple of hours ago in ABC World

News. Welcome. Tonight, search and rescue.

New video from onboard the ferry as it was sinking. And attempts to pump

in oxygen and bid fears hundreds of schoolchildren and passengers could

be trapped in a pocket underwater. And the US Navy now on the scene.

On the edge, the breaking news from Ukraine. Violent clashes involving

people holding onto their country. The dramatic pictures of what the

president is saying tonight. Another foot of snow in parts of the

country. Tonight, the new prediction through July. Get ready for some

whiplash. And planning a much different spring

shower. Vig news from Chelsea Clinton and something else we didn't

know about her future. `` big news.

Good evening. We have a lot to get to. Beginning with the urgent search

for the missing in that terrifying ferry disaster off South Korea.

Hundreds of board, any schoolchildren. Tonight, US Navy is

fair. Haunting images are streaming in. At nightfall, the ship was

barely piercing the water. The families were gathering under

blankets, waiting for word. Also tonight, the captain and what he is

saying after we learned he was one of the first off the ferry. There

are new pictures, taken onboard, just as the horror began to unfold.

New images tonight of the world turned on its side. The critical

moments after the ferry shifted violently. Watch as survivors cling

to anything they can. In this passageway, the boat. Other

passengers huddled inside, wearing life jackets. Today we learned the

captain abandoned ship 30 minutes after sending out the distress call.

This morning, hiding his face from reporters, he apologised. He said, I

am sorry and deeply ashamed. Tonight he is under criminal investigation,

questioned by police amid growing outrage. Families of the 276 missing

are holding out hope that have their loved ones are still alive. Trapped

in a pockets in the sunken ship. Rescuers have even tried to pump

oxygen into the boat. So far those efforts have been unsuccessful. The

official death toll has now climbed to 25. The doomed ferry was carrying

almost 500 passengers, most high school students on a class trip,

when the boat began to kill. At 8:58am the distress call went out.

Passengers were told to put on life jackets and stay inside. In this

video, an overhead announcement says... It is safer in the passenger

quarters. Cause of that, so many people became trapped inside. At

9:27am, one worried student texts his mother, I love you, he writes.

Three minutes later, Captain escapes in a lifeboat. One of the first off

the ship. On board, a frantic battle for survival. And real`life heroes.

An extraordinary acts of sacrifice from this young man, who didn't make

it off his ship. His mother hearing of his final act of generosity. His

friend was crying, she says, so my son gave him his life jacket. It is

just past first light on day three. The US Navy is involved but key

elements are affecting everyone. Bad weather, making it tough to see

above and below the waters. Rescue divers have had to be rescued

themselves, with every moment so critical.

Desperate scenes. Thank you. Now to the other breaking story. The

dramatic pictures coming in from Ukraine. The gunfire explosions on

camera. It comes as we learnt from President Obama of a new agreement

with Russia. The question, will it work? The while, President Putin's

comments that made global headlines. Molotov cocktails and bursts of

gunfire, as armed pro`Russia protesters attacked the Ukrainian

base. Three were killed. Today, the aftermath. Destroyed police car,

bloodstains on the pavement. We are told the gunfight lasted several

hours. Here on one of the police vehicles, you can see several

loopholes. Today, that hope to end the violence with a deal between

Russia, US and EU, that all sides would refrain from violence. Illegal

armed groups `` armed troops disarm and Ukraine gives amnesty. There is

the possibility, the prospect, that diplomacy may de`escalate the

situation. President Putin's annual call`in show was today, lasting four

hours. Questions from across Russia, even from Edward Snowden. President

Putin says Russia has historic claims of eastern Ukraine and he

says he reserves the right to send in Russian troops. This as the

already violent crisis has taken on `` the violent dimension. It is said

anti`Semitic fliers were handed out in one part of the country. This is

not just intolerable, it is grotesque and beyond unacceptable.

It is unclear who is responsible. And if this message is a hoax. The

question is, will the deal ease the tensions?

Thank you. The White House revealing that pact with Russia late today and

revealing something else. The president says his healthcare plan

has passed another milestone. 8 million Americans have signed up for

health insurance under the affordable care act. For the first

time we learnt 35% are under the age of 35. Of course a group heavily

targeted by the White House during the final weeks involvement.

Is it really spring? Not in a huge part of the country. These postcards

from the midwest telling the story this evening. This car in Minnesota

buried in snow. The school bus no match for the snow. Spring is trying

out there but close to the Royal two feet of snow in places. Today, the

long`range forecast is out. It seems someone forgot to tell the upper

Midwest that it is spring. It's freezing. My feet are freezing. Cars

are in ditches all over Minnesota. More than a foot in some places.

Folks are breaking out the snow shoes again. Spring is lasting

longer than expected. But it has been fun. `` winter. This car had to

shovel `` this guy had to shovel a whole dealership. Check out this ice

jam in Maine. A new report looks back at what a wild month this was.

Ice on Lake Michigan reached 93.3%. A new march record. In the last four

months, the number of people living in extreme drought in Texas and

Oklahoma has doubled to nearly 2 million people. In California, the

above average warmth will continue through summer. And the shivering

north`east will warm up as well. They are predicting a hotter than

normal summer through July. Here in Denver, in the southern Rockies,

some good news. More rain than normal in the next few months. There

is a drought self of here. That will be some welcome relief. To Texas. A

brand`new video which has surfaced showing the horrific moment each

year ago. You remember the deadly explosion at a fertiliser plant. 15

people died. We have a new look at the moment of crisis. Someone

captured it as they drove through West Texas. Safety rules for storing

fertiliser remained unchanged through much of the country. A real

scare in the heartland. Kansas city has new worries about the serial

shoot up. They worry that shoot it may have struck again. `` shooter.

An investigation is under way into whether the Kansas City serial

shooter has struck again. A minivan was shot at on the highway. Ocitti

on edge. 20 highway shootings in the last month. Still no suspect, and

few leads. At least three people have been hurt in the string of

shootings. `` a city on edge. How can you find shooter like this?

Often someone gets a cart description. The FBI is on the case.

They are investigating. `` car description. They hope to apprehend

the shooter before it is too late. Now to the passenger jet which

vanished with 239 people on board. Another false lead, the oil slick.

This is the search zone. More than 40 miles wide, three miles down. All

in the areas of the signals picked up days ago. We learned that the

Unmanned Air System in, Bluefin21, might have picked up a lead. ``

unmanned submarine. When you learned how quickly they have sent this

underwater drone back, what does that tell you? Tells me that it was

significant in order to be able to break the search pattern. They saw

something which was compelling. You are right. This unmanned submarine,

it is not very quick. It's really a can I is in. Two hours to get down,

16 hours on station, and hours to get back up. We are talking about

depths of 12 Empire State building is. Plus a little bit. Tremendous

pressure down there. There is a waiting game, as he said. No

real`time information coming back. We tend to think of things being

instant transmission. They have two taken out of the water and

labourious Lee remove everything before they can learn what it might

have found. Images of of an ancient ritual out of Rome. Among them,

women and non` believers. A reminder from Pope Francis to serve others.

We have a passing note, Gabriel Garcia Marquez has died. Known for

his novels and short stories, and so familiar to Americans here at home,

for generations required reading around the world. Accurate home, big

news from former first daughter Chelsea Clinton. She is expecting

her first child. Her mother and father are already tweeting, members

of the Bush family have sent their congratulations. The next generation

of the Clinton dynasties is on the way. Chelsea Clinton announced today

that she and her investment banker husband are expecting their first

child. Mark and I are very excited to have our first child on the way.

No one is more overjoyed than Hillary Clinton. Her desire to add

grandmother to her resume has not been a secret. She talked to Jimmy

Campbell about it. Any more children? `` Kimmell. I wouldn't

mind one of those grandchildren I hear so much about. Bill Clinton

also putting the pressure on. I'd like to have a happy wife. And she

won't be, unless she is a grandmother. Chelsea married a few

years ago in a private ceremony. She said in a magazine interview she

hoped 2014 would be the year of the baby. I feel better, whether it is a

girl or a boy, that he or she will grow up in a world with so many

strong female leaders. Could there soon be another child in the White

House? Hillary says grandmother to be is her most exciting title yet.

Bill Clinton has said the same. Their baby is due this Four. Great

news. How time flies. You heard Hillary say she is ready to be a

grandmother. `` baby is due this Fall. A family vacation for free?

The travel expert who proved he could do it. He made it to Florida

for free. He says you can do it as well. We will show you how. The

Lovat actress Valerie Harper and her brave battle. `` the be `` the

beloved actress. Easter approaching, ABC's

correspondent with the expert who got to Florida for free. It's that

time of year again. Time to hit the road. Prices. Airfares about to jump

20%. This man hasn't paid for a flight in three years. He proved it.

He flew to Fort Lauderdale for free. First to the airport. So how much

would this ride usually cost? $60. $70 may be. He paid nothing. He does

it by building up credits by recommending all of his friends and

family to a cart service provider. In this first`class cabin, we found

passengers paying up to $1000 for tickets. My ticket was $550. Mine

was literally free. So was my breakfast. He did it using airline

miles. Credit cards offering upwards of 40,000 three miles. I have 23

credit cards. I know a lot of financial advisers think that is

crazy. Once in sunny Florida, he saved deke on car rental. There is a

site for consumers called autoslash.com. You can rent a car

anywhere, go there, and they will constantly check for a better rate

on that same car. News of an intergalactic neighbour. Earth's

twin. 500 light years away. Orbiting its own son at just the right

distance. There could be water. That means there could be life. I have a

feeling there will be more to come on that. We have news about the

beloved actress. Finally tonight, every child has a

dream. Whether to be an astronaut, a princess, a home`run king. We met

the photographer making those dreams come true. That is a weak on this

child's head. She has cancer, and most of her hair is gone due to

chemotherapy. `` wig. It is a photo shoot. With what in mind? Take a

look at this, there is, and this. Every one of these as a kid with a

life`threatening illness. Seen here in a moment of utter fantasy of

their own making. This guy is the agent of making them real, on paper.

Which is real enough. I want to get the idea out there that everything

is possible, despite what life throws at you. The kids draw them a

picture. He imagines it with them. He has done dozens of these. This

girl's condition requires her to stay out of the Sun, he draws her

bathe in light. I started to realise I could do this in other families.

She has a lock of wishes in life. I have four wishes. Number four is: to

become a real mermaid. One photo without the week, and out it comes,

full mermaid. Thank you for everything you did. For me to become

a real mermaid. Real to her, and isn't that the point? Thank you for

watching, have a good evening. Good night, we will see you tomorrow. A

decent start to the long Easter weekend. A chilly start, but the

idea of sunshine. Clear blue skies for many, with cloud developing in

East Anglia and south`east England. Colder than yesterday, temperature