Sunk S. Korean Navy Ship Raised

A giant floating crane lifts the stern of a South Korean warship to place it on a barge on April 15, 2010. The 1,200-ton patrol combat corvette PCC-772 Cheonan was split in two by a big external explosion on March 26 near a disputed Yellow Sea border, wit (Hong Jin-Hwan/AFP/Getty Images)

A South Korean navy ship was raised from the ocean floor on Thursday after it sank last month following a mysterious explosion.

There is increased suspicion of North Korea being responsible for the blast, which sank the navy vessel and killed 46 sailors.

The ship sank near the disputed maritime border between the two countries in the Yellow Sea near the island of Baengnyeong.

Officials hope that investigations into the wreckage of the ship will provide insight as to the cause of the explosion. Previously, South Korean officials had suggested that a North Korean mine, dating back to the Korean War, was responsible for the explosion.

Shortly after the ship sank, 58 sailors were rescued. The operation was broadcast live by South Korean television, showing a gigantic crane lifting the 1,200-ton ship out of the water.