South Korea has raised the front half of a warship which sank last month near the disputed sea border with the North.

An unexplained explosion split the ship in half and it sank with the loss of 46 sailors.

Investigators have already said the damage appeared to have been caused by an external blast, feeding suspicions North Korea may have been involved.

South Korea has avoided blaming the North outright and Pyongyang has denied any role in the sinking of the vessel.

The front half of the Cheonan, a 1,200-tonne corvette, was raised by a giant crane and placed on a barge to be towed to a naval port for inspection.

The stern was lifted out of the sea last week.

The body of one missing sailor was found in the bow wreckage and it will be searched for the bodies of six of its crew who are still missing.

Fifty-eight sailors were rescued after the explosion on 26 March.