Wednesday, April 16, 2014

2014 South Korean ferry capsizing

2014 South Korean ferry capsizing


Reference: Wikipedia

2014 South Korean ferry capsizing

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
2014 South Korean ferry capsizing
2014 South Korean ferry capsizing is located in South Korea
2014 South Korean ferry capsizing
Date16 April 2014
Location20 kilometres (12 mi) off Byungpoong Island, Jindo, South Korea
Coordinates34.239833°N 125.866361°ECoordinates: 34.239833°N 125.866361°E
Deaths6[1]
Injuries13
Missing277[2]
On board459[1]
The South Korean ferry Sewol (세월) capsized on 16 April 2014. It was carrying about 459 people, mostly secondary school students from Ansan (near Seoul) who were travelling from Incheon to Jeju.[3] The 6,825-ton vessel sent adistress signal from about 20 kilometres (12 mi) off Byungpoong Island at 08:58 Korea Standard Time (23:58 UTC). Many passengers were rescued by fishing and other commercial vessels, which were first on the scene before the arrival approximately 30 minutes later of Korean Coast Guard and Navy ships, backed by helicopters.[4][5]

Background[edit]

Ship[edit]

Sewol was built by the Hayashikanae (하야시카네; 林兼船渠) company.[6] It was built as a 6,825-ton ship with a capacity for 921 passengers.[7] The ship could carry 180 cars and 20-feet containers at the same time. The maximum capacity of the ship is 956, including the crew members.[6] It was operated by Cheonghaejin Shipping Company.[7]
After the regulatory checks by the government of South Korea, the ship began operating on March 15, 2013. The ship has since made two round-trips from Incheonto Jeju. The safety of the passengers is guaranteed by the Republic of Korea Coast Guard. The last check was made on February 19, a 1st-degree Intermediate survey (중간검사; 中間檢査).[6]

Passengers[edit]

The 459 people on board included 325 high school pupils, 15 teachers, 30 crew members, and 89 other passengers,[1][8] in addition to 150 vehicles.[9]

Capsizing[edit]

About 20 kilometres (12 mi) off the southwest coast, the ferry began to list badly as it headed for Jeju.[3] According to the Republic of Korea Coast Guard, the ferry sent out a distress signal about 8:58 am in the morning on the 16th.[10] There were reports of the ferry having veered off course but co-ordinates of the site of the accident provided by port authorities indicated it was not far out of the regular shipping lane.[3] Rescued passengers reported hearing a loud, screeching noise and the ferry coming to a shuddering halt – indicating it may have run aground.[4] By the end of the day the vessel was inverted and almost completely submerged.[11]

Causes[edit]

A member of the crew of a government ship involved in the rescue, who said he had spoken to members of the ferry's crew, said the area was free of reefs or rocks and the cause was most likely some sort of malfunction on the vessel.[3] As of April 17, the ship is suspected to have capsized due to a sudden turn, which caused the ship's cargo to pile on one side, causing the ship to sink.[12]

Rescue operation[edit]


US Marines assigned to the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, embarked onUSS Bonhomme Richard (LHD-6) are seen preparing inflatable boats to join in the rescue operation during 16 April 2014
Initial reports said that rescuers retrieved 368 people from freezing waters as the passengers, mostly school students, had jumped out when the vessel started sinking, but the South Korean government later corrected this statement, saying 295 passengers remained missing.[13]
As of April 17, 174 people were rescued, 4 were killed, and 284 were missing, according to The Chosun Ilbo.[10]According to CNN and its affiliate YTN, 6 people have died.[1]. A 27-year-old female crew member was found dead inside the sinking vessel, while a male high school student died shortly after arriving at the emergency ward.[14][15]Officials also reported at least 13 injuries, and about 292 other people are unaccounted for.[1]
The American warship USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD-6) and its helicopters assisted in the air-sea rescueoperation.[16][17]
South Korean President Park Geun-hye ordered maximum efforts to rescue as many survivors as possible,[18] while Lee Gyeong-og, a vice minister for South Korea's Ministry of Security and Public Administration, added that the immediate focus was on rescue measures.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Jump up to:a b c d e "South Korean shipwreck survivors: Passengers told 'don't move' as ship sank". CNN. 16 April 2014.
  2. Jump up^ "6 killed, 277 missing after S Korea ferry full of schoolchildren capsizes". The Indian Express. Indian Express Limited. Retrieved 16 April 2014.
  3. ^ Jump up to:a b c d Jack Kim, Choonsik Yoo (16 April 2014). "More than 300 people missing after South Korea ferry sinks – coastguard". Reuters.
  4. ^ Jump up to:a b "Two dead, scores missing as S. Korea ferry sinks". Focus Information Agency. 16 April 2014.
  5. Jump up^ Harlan, Chico (16 April 2014). "Almost 300 missing in South Korean ferry disaster; death toll expected to rise". Washington Post. Retrieved 16 April 2014.
  6. ^ Jump up to:a b c "침몰한 세월호, 1994년 일본서 건조" [The capsized Sewol, built by a ship company in 1994] (in Korean). Kyunghyang Shinmun. April 16, 2014. Retrieved April 17, 2014.
  7. ^ Jump up to:a b Borowiec, Steven (16 April 2014). "Nearly 300 Missing after South Korea ferry sinks". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 16 April 2014.
  8. Jump up^ Hyung-Jin Kim, Youkyung Lee (16 April 2014). "South Korea Says 293 Missing in Ferry Disaster". ABC News.
  9. Jump up^ "South Korea ferry: Scores missing as ship sinks". BBC News. 16 April 2014.
  10. ^ Jump up to:a b Kwon (권), KyungAhn (경안); Kim (김), HyungWon (형원) (April 17, 214). "침몰까지 140分... 눈뜨고 아이들 잃는 나라" [140 Minutes to campsizing... A country that loses children while staring]. The Chosun Ilbo (in Korean) (Chosun.com).
  11. Jump up^ McCurry, Justin (16 April 2014). "At least 280 missing as ferry sinks off the coast of South Korea". The Guardian. Retrieved 16 April 2014.
  12. Jump up^ "'세월호' 침몰, 급격한 방향전환이 원인으로 드러나" ['Sewol' capsizing, a sudden turn is revealed to be the cause]. Yonhap News (in Korean) (Yonhap). April 17, 2014. Retrieved April 17, 214.
  13. Jump up^ Sridharan, Vasudevan (16 April 2014). "South Korea Ferry Tragedy: US Amphibious Assault Vessel to Join Rescue Operation as 295 Remain Missing".International Business Times.
  14. Jump up^ "Two people dead, 290 missing in sunken ferry". Yonhap News Agency. 16 April 2014.
  15. Jump up^ "Ferry sinking off South Korean coast, over 470 people on board". RT. 16 April 2014.
  16. Jump up^ Rowland, Ashley (16 April 2014). "USS Bonhomme Richard Heads to Capsized Korea Ferry". Stars and Stripes / military.com News. Retrieved 16 April 2014.
  17. Jump up^ Wyllie, David (16 April 2014). "South Korea Ferry Sinking: U.S. Navy Ship to Join Rescue Effort". NBC News. Retrieved 16 April 2014.
  18. Jump up^ Shin, Bumsoo (16 April 2014). "朴대통령 "사고 소식 듣고 가만 있을 수 없었다"…내일 공공기관장 워크숍도 취소". Asia Economy Daily.
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