South Korean diver dies in ferry search operation

A yellow ribbon dedicated to missing and dead passengers of sunken passenger ship Sewol is seen among messages written for the victims outside the official memorial altar in Ansan May 2, 2014. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji

SEOUL (Reuters) - A diver lost consciousness and died on Tuesday during the search operation for victims still missing after last month's South Korean ferry disaster.

The diver had lost radio contact five minutes after diving to fix guideline ropes on the fifth deck of the sunken ferry, according to Ko Myung-seok, spokesman for the government's emergency task force.