Photo: AFP
What was intended as a four-day field trip to the Korean resort island of Jeju for high school students and their teachers ended in tragedy when the ferry sank off several miles north of Byeongpung Island, on the west coast of Korea. There are reports of 4 known dead and roughly 300 people still missing.
The 146m-long ferry, Sewol, left the port of Inchon with 459 people aboard bound for Jeju Island. Among the passengers were 338 students and teachers from Danwon High School in Ansan, a suburb of Seoul. The ferry had a capacity for 900 people and ran a twice weekly service to Jeju Island. There are reports that the ferry either hit a rock or collided with another vessel.
“There was a bang, and then the ship suddenly tilted over,” a survivor identified by his surname Yoo told Yonhap News Agency. “Downstairs were restaurants, shops and entertainment rooms, and those who were there are feared to have failed to escape.”
At least 18 helicopters, 34 vessels and special-operations divers, arrived at the scene following a distress signal that was picked up at 9 a.m. local time.
South Korean Ferry Carrying Hundreds of Students Sinks
Thanks to Alaric Bond and Phil Leon for contributing to the post.
Read late morning that some may still be trapped inside unabe to get out.
Watching German TV news on TV at 5:45pm, est, said over 200 may still be trapped inside.
No way to tell how many hours old this news report is?
I’m checking Google news for latest info.
These are only a few hours old.
CNN at 5:12 pm said those in charge told them not to move, stay where they where as the ship rolled and to put on live jackets, but not to jump because it is dangerous.
http://www.cnn.com/2014/04/16/world/asia/south-korea-sinking-ship-students/
This FREE Wall Street Journal states they believe they are stuck inside. There is also video.
http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304626304579505432094596894
although i am in Sri Lanka i still can’t believe this heartbreaking news..i pray for my gods to rescue all the students…..plzzzz god help them..i want to see them all alive…
Another case of the Master leaving his passengers after some crazy boat driving and hiding his face while blaming others!
Usually when one of these incidents occurs I write a Post in NAUTICAL LOG covering ship safety, training and protocol, however this time I decided not to. Instead I am commenting here. The opinion of CAPT. Robbins above is of course his own viewpoint it is neither valid or invalid just his opinion. One of the problems of dealing with Asian cultures of which most of my crews of 50 years of seagoing have been is the cultural difference from Europeans and Americans. When the Korean Captain told the children to remain in place it would not occur to most of them to disobey an elder particularly the ferry’s Master. Sadly in trying to protect them he actually caused their deaths. It is disturbing to see that all the liferafts are still firmly in place on the upper deck racks and did not launch themselves as they are supposed to do by the automatic releases. Now it appears the OOW was an inexperienced Third Mate and the Master was not on the Bridge in an area of strong currents and tidal effect. It is therefore my opinion that we should wait until the Korean Coastguard bring the Master to trial. Also on the evening news just now it was stated that the cranes which have been positioned to lift the ferry are awaiting permission of the families to do so. This would not be a consideration in our European/American culture but very important in the Asian cultures. As was seen with flight MH 370 the reaction can be quite violent by families to those in authority. Consider this stress release from living in a very controlled culture where suicide is an honoured apology, as sadly the school vice-principal decided to perform. Perhaps we can all comment to our hearts content once the full story is heard. Happy Easter and
Good Watch.
It appears that poor training and improper emergency procedures may have increased the number of dead in the tragic accident. No doubt that will be examined in great detail in coming weeks and months.
As a naval architect, I am deeply concerned that the inherent dangers of passenger ro-ro designs have not been addressed. Literally thousands have died in the sudden capsize of these types of ships over the last 60 years. There have been incremental increases in safety but overall the design is still a disaster waiting to happen.
I live in Japan.
Everyday I see this sad news on TV.
We worry about neighbor youngs so much.
But Korean side denied our helps,
“There is nothing to do especially.”
So all we can is praying for them.
How can we(Korea and Japan) change
our relationship?
Pride and historical sin are
more important than thier lives?
I believe they are still alive in ferry.
Please rescue them as soon as
possible.
OBAMA’S GIFT TO KOREA SHIPDISASTER
Before sitting at a table across from President Ms. Park, Mr. Obama thanked the South Korean leader for making time to see him even though the effort to find the missing passengers was continuing.
“I just wanted to express on behalf of the American people our deepest sympathies for the incredible and tragic loss that’s taken place,” Then Mr. Obama asked his delegation to observe a moment of silence.
Mr. Obama presented Ms. Park with an American flag that he said had flown over the White House on April 16, the day the ferry, the Sewol, sank off the southwest coast of the country.
Ms. Park thanked Mr. Obama, saying “the Korean people draw great strength and courage from your kindness.”
In addition to the flag to honor the ferry victims, Mr. Obama presented a magnolia tree from the White House to Danwon High School in Ansan, south of Seoul, which ” lost dozens of students in the accident.”
Magnolias, the president said, symbolize beauty and renewal — “the same qualities embodied by all those students.”
Korean people in tragedy are greatly honored by the president and the American citizens.
My wife said that her friend Dr. Kee Ok Cho was so upset when she read the NY time’s misreport of the disaster victims as “only dozens of students” as the President indicated.
Evidently someone seemed to have misinformed President Obama on the scale of the disaster as if the disaster victims were as “only dozens,” although the victims were more than 30 dozens. Such large scale victims hurt so many hearts in Korea as well as over the world.
I checked Random House dictionary to understand the term “dozens” It suggested,
“Dozen, Pl. dozens, as after a numeral.” It suggested proper, appeared better than Webster’s.
In this case the President should have said “more than 30 dozens of the victims.”
If anyone really so misinformed the President regrettably, the Victims were so belittled as such as in the senseless advises
The Korean prime minister resigned for the tragic occasion.
1. The vice-principal of a South Korean high school who accompanied hundreds of pupils on a ferry that capsized has committed suicide, on Friday, as hopes faded of finding any of the 274 missing alive. Images for korean school teacher kang min kyu
One rescuer lost his life for others.
Soon the Korean president issued her apologies for tragic accident.
Needless to say, the tragedy is the reflections of a moral decay of the many responsible leaders for the incidents indicating a deviant business culture, which alarmed the Koreans to wakeup.
More surprisingly, the operators, Yoo family closely related with the ministry of a Baptist church.
Let us pray for a peace of the victims and for the restoration of Christian morality.