The sinking of MV Sewol, also called the Sewol ferry disaster, occurred on the morning of 16 April 2014, when the ferry MV Sewol was en route from Incheon towards Jeju in South Korea.
The 6,825-ton vessel sent a distress signal from about 2.7 kilometres north of Byeongpungdo at 08:58 KST.
Out of 476 passengers and crew, 304 died in the disaster, including around 250 students from Danwon High School (Ansan City). Of the approximately 172 survivors, more than half were rescued by fishing boats and other commercial vessels that arrived at the scene approximately forty minutes before the Korea Coast Guard (KCG).
The sinking of Sewol resulted in widespread social and political reaction within South Korea. Many criticized the actions of the ferry’s captain and most of the crew. Also criticized were the ferry’s operator, Chonghaejin Marine, and the regulators who oversaw its operations, along with the administration of President Park, Geun-Hye for its disaster response (including the poor showing of the KCG) and attempts to downplay government culpability. On 15 May 2014, the captain and three crew members were charged with murder, while the other eleven members of the crew were indicted for abandoning the ship.
In an effort to create a living library and preserve the stories and the lives of those that were lost, I interviewed family members of the victims. Here is Han, Go-Woon’s story (as shared by her mother).
This is presented in both English and Korean.
If you would like to learn more about the Sewol Ferry Disaster, below are segments from South Korean news outlets. All of the segments are presented in English.
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