A bone fragment found at the site where the Sewol ferry capsized off South Korea was confirmed by DNA testing to be that of a teacher who was among the nine people still missing from the 2014 disaster, officials said Wednesday.

It was the first time for a victim found after the 6,825-ton ferry was raised in March to be identified through DNA testing of partial remains.

Local media said the male teacher was 40 years old at the time of the tragedy, in which the ferry carrying mostly high school students and their teachers on an excursion sank off in waters near Jindo Island after capsizing in April 2014.

The official death toll from the nation's worst maritime disaster stands at 296 confirmed dead with eight others missing.

Of the 14 teachers who were aboard the ship, 11 were killed or remain unaccounted for.

The ferry has been moved to a dry dock at the port of Mokpo for inspection and human remains have been found inside the cabins.

Last Saturday, officials said a missing high school student had been identified based on parts of teeth discovered on the fourth deck of the vessel.