On May 30, 2020, the South Korean-owned cruise ship MV Sewol capsized off the coast of South Korea. The ship was carrying 476 passengers and crew at the time, including 325 students from Danwon High School in Ansan, South Korea. The Sewol sank to a depth of 44 meters (145 feet) on its side in waters off Jindo Island.
The cause of the disaster was determined to be an imbalance in cargo weight, which shifted when the ship made a sudden turn. This shift caused the ship to list heavily and eventually sink. The captain and crew have been criticized for negligence in their response to the emergency, as they waited nearly forty minutes after the initial listing before ordering an evacuation.
Rescue Efforts:
The initial rescue efforts were hampered by strong currents and bad weather. Over 450 divers from around South Korea were sent to search for survivors but were only able to locate two of them alive.
The remaining passengers and crew were presumed dead. In total, 295 people were declared dead or missing.
Investigation:
After the disaster, investigators began looking into what happened on board the Sewol prior to it sinking. It was discovered that many safety regulations had been violated on board, including overcrowding and improper passenger manifests. Furthermore, it was found that modifications had been made to increase capacity without proper safety measures being taken.
Aftermath:
The tragedy sparked nationwide mourning in South Korea as well as outrage at the government’s handling of the situation. A number of lawsuits have been filed against those responsible for negligent actions leading up to and during the accident. In 2018, two people were sentenced to prison for their role in causing the disaster.
In 2018, a memorial park was opened near Ansan on Jindo Island where family members can visit annually on April 16th – which is now designated “Sewol Day” – to remember their loved ones who perished in this tragedy.
Conclusion:
The MV Sewol capsized off the coast of South Korea due to an imbalance in cargo weight shifting when it made a sudden turn. Despite rescue efforts by divers from around South Korea only two survivors were located alive while 295 people perished or went missing.
Investigations revealed multiple safety regulations had been violated leading up to and during this tragedy with two people receiving sentences for negligent actions related to this disaster. In 2018 a memorial park was opened near Ansan as an annual memorial day was declared on April 16th – ‘Sewol Day’ – as a reminder of all those who lost their lives.