Moscow: Three children succumbed to injuries taking the toll in Russia's school hostage crisis in Beslan in North Ossetia to 338 as parents and relatives continued to search for the 260 missing.

The number of dead hostages in Beslan has reached 333, ITAR-TASS quoted the North Ossetian Public Health Ministry as saying. Three children died in hospital last night (Sep 4, 2004), it added.

The Ministry earlier noted that the bodies of 323 people were carried out by rescuers from the school building while another seven victims died in hospitals.

Parents and relatives of 260 hostages of the bloody drama in Beslan school are still unable to trace their dear ones.

However, reports quoting morgue officials said the toll in the bloody drama in Beslan city climbed to at least 394.

In a parallel development North Ossetia's Interior Minister Kazbek Dzantiyev has resigned accepting the responsibility for flaws in security leading to the Beslan school siege.

In all there were 1,184 hostages inside the school. 448 are still in hospitals of which 69 were in critical condition, Official spokesman for the North Ossetian administration Lev Dzugayev said. Dzugayev did not rule out that many injured were still unconscious and they could not be identified. Scores of dead bodies, taken away to nearby regional capital Vladikavkaz for forensic analysis are also yet to be identified.

Meanwhile, first hostage victims are to be buried in Beslan today (Sep 5, 2004).