bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

moreOnThisArticles

urlAlias

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

paywallTypes

corrections

sponsorType

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

socialHeadline

headline

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

publishedDate

additionalInfoBoxes

images

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

createdDate

sponsor

factSheets

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

Agence France-Presse

Grieving relatives threw white chrysanthemums over the side of a boat at the place where the Sewol ferry sunk exactly two years ago, as the country marked the anniversary of the disaster on Saturday.
A total of 304 people died, mostly students, when the Sewol sank off the south-western island of Jindo, in a tragedy that shocked and enraged the country.
“Son, how are you? I’ve come to see you,” a father shouted from the deck of a coastguard vessel that had brought mourners to the site of the sinking.
“Come back to us now. Your mother is waiting for you,” he said before tossing a flower overboard, in an event that was broadcast live online.
The government will do its best to salvage the ship and bring back the nine missing bodies
Oceans Minister Kim Young-suk
A crowd of some 2,500 mourners took part in a memorial service at Jindo, reading memorial poems and releasing thousands of yellow balloons into the air in remembrance of the victims.
Memorial events also took place in Seoul and in Ansan, where the students studied.
Following the disaster, it emerged it was primarily caused by human error – an illegal redesign, overloaded cargo bay, inexperienced crew and a questionable relationship between operators and state regulators.
Seoul announced last year that it would raise the 6,825-tonne ferry, which had been a key demand of the victims’ families, who cling to hopes that nine bodies still unaccounted for may yet be recovered.
The US$72 million project to raise the vessel is being spearheaded by a Chinese company. It is expected to begin next month and could be finished by late July.
“The government will do its best to salvage the ship and bring back the nine missing bodies safely to the families,” Oceans Minister Kim Young-suk said at the memorial service at Jindo.
The Sewol lies more than 40 metres beneath the sea’s surface, and officials say lifting the 145-metre-long vessel from the seabed without splitting it into sections first will be the main challenge.

“Unfortunately, nothing can be guaranteed and we can only do the very best we can do to ensure that the risk is minimised,” said Simon Burthem, a naval architect at TMC, a global consulting firm involved in the salvage project.
Still, he said there was an 80 per cent chance the operation would succeed.
“Lifting the wreck in one piece from such a depth has never been done before, so this is a very, very difficult and challenging project and indeed a world first,” he said.
Wang Weiping, the site superintendent of the Chinese salvage company, praised the dangerous work required by dive teams in often treacherous conditions ahead of the planned ship recovery.
We tremble with fear at even the slightest chance of never finding the missing bodies
Lee Keum-hui, bereaved mother
Their main task had been to seal the vessel’s with netting to ensure nothing – such as human remains – tumbles out when the ship is being lifted.
For the families of the nine victims whose bodies were never recovered, the two-year wait has been emotionally draining.
“It’s been 730 days and I can see the ocean before me,” said Lee Keum-hui, who has been camping out at Paengmok harbour near the salvage site, praying for the recovery of her 16-year-old daughter’s body. “I know where she is but I can’t get her.
“I know the government can do more. But all I can do is just wait and trust its words.”
Other bereaved family members accused the government of a lack of transparency.
“Everything is conducted behind closed doors and the families are not permitted to observe the recovery operation,” said Jung Seong-wook, who acts as a families’ representative for the salvage project.
The maritime ministry says it can arrange trips for the families as long as they do not “disrupt salvage operations,” stressing the need for “intense concentration” at what they call a critical time.
For relatives like Lee, the prospect of not recovering victims’ remains is almost unbearable.
“We tremble with fear at even the slightest chance of never finding the missing bodies,” she said.


‘So many doubts’: victim’s mother questions investigation decade after South Korea ferry disaster

‘There is huge pressure’: developed world’s suicide hot spot South Korea battles toxic cocktail of issues

Korean cults: the missing link between the coronavirus, Sewol ferry disaster and President Park Geun-hye’s impeachment

Sewol ferry disaster: owner’s heirs must pay South Korean government US$146m

South Korea ferry disaster

Two years after Sewol tragedy, agony continues for families of drowned children

A mother of a victim who was on board the sunken ferry leaves a message on a desk used by her child at an empty classroom. Photo: Reuters

(FILES) This picture taken on April 23, 2014 shows South Korean rescue teams taking part in recovery operations at the site of the sunken 'Sewol' ferry, marked with buoys, off the coast of the South Korean island of Jindo. South Korea on April 16 marked the second anniversary of the Sewol ferry disaster, as distraught families still seeking relatives' remains hope the massive sunken vessel can be recovered from the ocean floor. More than 300 people died, mostly students, when the Sewol sank off the southwestern island of Jindo, in a tragedy that shocked and enraged the country. / AFP PHOTO / JUNG YEON-JE

News

Asia

East Asia

Seoul announced last year that it would raise the 6,825-tonne ferry, which had been a key demand of the victims’ families.
