@grimasia_1upmedia: [South Korea, 16 April 2014] In a heart-wrenching incident that shook South Korea to its core, the MV Sewol, a passenger ferry, became the epicentre of a maritime disaster. The vessel was on a routine journey from the port of Incheon to Jeju Island, covering a distance of approximately 425 Km, a journey it had completed 241 times before. However, this fateful day would be unlike any other. The Sewol was delayed by nearly three hours due to heavy fog, reducing visibility to less than 1 Km. At 9:30 pm, it was the lone ship to set sail from the port, carrying 443 passengers, 33 crew members, and an excessive cargo load of over 2000 tons, including 185 cars, far beyond the recommended limit of 987 tons. Some of this cargo was improperly secured, creating a hazardous situation. Onboard were more than 300 students from Danwon High School in Ansan City, excited about their field trip to Jeju Island. Little did they know that their journey would take a tragic turn. As the Sewol entered the Maenggol Channel the next morning, it faced powerful currents and a rocky seabed. Third mate Park Han-kyul and helmsman Cho Joon-ki were at the helm, as Captain Lee was reportedly absent from the bridge. A sudden veer by twenty degrees caused cargo to shift, tilting the ship dangerously. Captain Lee returned to the bridge as chaos erupted. He ordered the engines to halt, stranding the ship. As the Sewol began to sink, passengers were told to stay onboard, despite water flooding the cabins. The captain's orders continued even as he himself evacuated the ship. Nearby ships and fishing vessels rushed to the scene by 9:30 am to assist in the rescue operation. Some 150 - 160 passengers, fearing for their lives, leaped into the frigid waters and were saved by these vessels. Tragically, the majority of student passengers remained onboard. The Sewol had vanished beneath the waves by 1pm the same day. 306 passengers lost their lives, including 250 students and 11 teachers. The sinking of the Sewol became South Korea's deadliest ferry catastrophe since 1970, exposing a dark underbelly of corruption and profit-driven negligence. #Learningisfun 

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Monday 23 October 2023 12:22:36 GMT