The Sewol Ferry Tragedy - Coward Captain Left 350 Students To Die In A Sinking Ship

Rotten Mango・2 minutes read

Two students from Tanwan High School were found dead, tied together on a sinking boat during the Hayward ferry tragedy, where over 250 high school students lost their lives. The tragedy led to widespread repercussions, including the impeachment of the president, disbandment of the Korean Coast Guard, and civilian divers risking their lives for months to recover bodies.

Insights

The tragic sinking of the Hayward ferry on April 16, 2014, resulted in the deaths of over 250 high school students and over 300 lives in total, leading to significant repercussions such as the impeachment of the president, resignation of the Prime Minister, and disbandment of the Korean Coast Guard.
The mishandling of the ferry disaster by authorities, including delayed evacuation efforts and misleading instructions, resulted in tragic losses and missed opportunities for saving lives, despite heroic sacrifices made by individuals like Park, Che, Kim, and Chong.
Civilian divers, uncredited by mainstream media, risked their lives and endured physical and psychological trauma to recover bodies from the sunken ship, with some facing injuries and financial hardships without government support.
The ferry disaster highlighted systemic issues such as overloading, lack of cargo security, inadequate ballast water, and financial mismanagement by the ferry company, leading to instability, imbalance, and ultimately the tragic sinking of the vessel.

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Recent questions

What caused the Hayward ferry tragedy?
Overloading, sharp turn, lack of ballast water.
How did the parents of Tanwan High School students react?
Distressed, received messages, organized rescue efforts.
What were the consequences of the Hayward ferry tragedy?
Impeachment, resignations, arrests, disbandment of Coast Guard.
How did civilian divers contribute to the rescue efforts?
Volunteered, retrieved bodies, faced injuries and trauma.
What was the response of the Coast Guard during the ferry disaster?
Delayed response, missed opportunities, untrained for rescue.

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Summary

00:00

Tragic sinking of Hayward ferry in 2014.

Two 16-year-old students from Tanwan High School found alone in a room on a sinking boat, their life jacket cords tied together.
A civilian diver discovered the bodies of the students tied together, unable to bring both up at once.
Other students from Tanwan High School faced similar fates during the Hayward ferry tragedy.
The ferry capsized on April 16, 2014, leading to the deaths of over 250 high school students and over 300 lives in total.
South Korea denied assistance from the Japanese Coast Guard and the U.S. Navy, claiming to have the situation under control.
The tragedy resulted in the impeachment of the president, resignation of the Prime Minister, disbandment of the Korean Coast Guard, and multiple high-profile arrests.
Newsstapa, a South Korean news outlet, worked closely with victims' families to uncover suppressed information about the tragedy.
Parents of Tanwan High School students received distressing messages from their children aboard the sinking ferry.
The ferry, primarily a cargo ship, was overloaded with cargo, causing it to list 30 degrees to Port during the tragedy.
The sharp turn made by the crew, exceeding the safe limit due to excessive cargo, led to the tragic sinking of the Hayward ferry.

15:09

"Tragic Shipwreck: Students' Final Moments"

"Listing to Port" means leaning to the left, while "listing to starboard" means leaning to the right, with a significant lean of 30 degrees.
Trimming refers to the ship tipping forward or backward, while rolling is side-to-side movement to find balance.
The ship was initially rolling but ultimately listed to the left at 30 degrees, not automatically leading to capsizing.
Properly securing cargo could have potentially balanced the boat, preventing capsizing.
Ballast water is crucial for boats to maintain a low center of gravity, but this ship lacked it, leading to instability.
The ship was unable to self-balance due to the high center of gravity caused by the lack of ballast water.
The ship was doomed to capsize due to the excessive water intake, with passengers advised to wear life jackets.
Despite the severity of the situation, passengers were initially instructed to stay put, delaying evacuation efforts.
The captain disguised himself as a passenger upon rescue, withholding vital information that could have aided in saving lives.
Heartbreaking footage captures the students' last moments, following instructions to stay put, expressing fear, and reaching out to loved ones.

30:19

Chaotic rescue efforts spark parental intervention and anger.

Life vests on the boat were broken, with one boy discovering that the life vest he found was made in 1994.
Due to a shortage of life vests, kids were sacrificing them for each other, even asking teachers and girls for theirs.
Videos of the situation were captured on a phone, but the person recording did not survive.
Mainstream media falsely reported that all passengers had been rescued, causing relief among parents.
Parents grew suspicious when they couldn't contact their children and noticed discrepancies in the reported numbers of rescued passengers.
Parents traveled to Chindo Island, organizing themselves at the Tundo gym due to lack of official organization.
Parents took charge of organizing rescue efforts, as authorities failed to provide accurate information.
Frustrated parents confronted authorities about the discrepancies in the list of rescued passengers.
Parents expressed desperation and anger at the lack of government response and organization in the rescue efforts.
Civilian boats and fishermen took action to rescue passengers, while official rescue teams failed to coordinate effectively.

46:01

Rescue Operation Failures Lead to Tragic Losses

President Park's ego and focus on appearances hindered international relations, leading to a lack of cooperation between the US Navy and Korean Coast Guard during a rescue operation.
US Navy vessels were ready for rescue, but the call for help never came due to officials avoiding responsibility and accountability.
Student Chui made the first emergency call, providing crucial information on the sinking ferry's location, aiding in rescue efforts.
Part-time crew member Park sacrificed her life to save students, refusing to wear a life jacket to ensure others' safety.
Crew members Che, Kim, and Chong chose to stay and help students, sacrificing their lives in the process.
Civilian divers were ready to volunteer for rescue efforts but were hindered by the Coast Guard's inefficiency and lack of action.
Parents were frustrated by the Coast Guard's inaction, with civilians being told they could enter the water to save their children while the Coast Guard did nothing.
The Coast Guard's delay in responding to the sinking ferry led to missed opportunities for rescue during the critical first hours and days.
The calm waters and potential air pockets inside the sinking ferry highlighted the importance of timely rescue efforts within the first 72 hours.
Despite the heroic efforts of individuals like Park, Che, Kim, and Chong, the mishandling of the rescue operation by authorities resulted in tragic losses and missed opportunities for saving lives.

01:00:17

Government Failures in Ferry Tragedy Rescue Operations

The Coast Guard portrayed a chaotic rescue scene, but the water was calm with no waves, and no rescue efforts were visible.
Parents, frustrated by the lack of action, pleaded with the Coast Guard to rescue their children, but no response was given.
The Korean Coast Guard, untrained for search and rescue, hesitated to act, citing poor conditions as an excuse.
Politicians avoided seeking help to maintain their reputations, leading to a lack of competent rescue efforts.
Multiple Coast Guard divisions hesitated to act, fearing failure and reputational damage, leaving them as bystanders.
Parents, witnessing the lack of rescue efforts, formed their own task forces to coordinate information and confront officials.
President Park and the Prime Minister faced backlash from parents for their ineffective response and false claims of rescue efforts.
A private company, Undyne, took over rescue efforts but lacked proper equipment and experience, leading to ineffective recovery attempts.
Civilian divers, not credited by mainstream media, risked their lives to recover bodies, facing injuries and trauma in the process.
Despite the tragic events, the government focused on conducting investigations and punishing those involved, neglecting the urgent need for rescue operations.

01:14:42

Tragic ferry sinking reveals negligence and sacrifice.

Divers delayed using a diving bell, resorting to flimsy air hoses that posed dangers of snapping or folding, risking suffocation or entanglement.
Teams of three divers encountered bodies and life jackets in the sunken ship, needing to carefully remove bodies through broken windows to float to the surface.
Divers found students hugging or tied together, with many having broken fingers from attempting to escape, showcasing their desperate struggle.
Civilian divers risked their lives for two months, working in three-hour shifts to retrieve bodies, enduring physical and psychological trauma.
Despite their sacrifices, divers received no support or benefits from the government, facing mounting hospital bills and injuries without assistance.
Kim, a diver, brought back 25 bodies, suffered a shoulder injury, and later took his own life due to the trauma he endured during the rescue efforts.
The ferry company overloaded the ferry, leading to a disastrous imbalance, with cargo not secured, pumps broken, and inadequate ballast water.
Crew negligence, lack of training, and improper evacuation procedures contributed to the chaos during the sinking, with passengers unable to escape due to misleading announcements.
The ferry company's financial mismanagement, prioritizing shareholder payouts over safety training, led to a lack of preparedness and equipment maintenance.
Modifications to the ferry, including additional levels and an art gallery, raised the center of gravity, making the vessel unstable, despite previous accidents and warnings.

01:29:01

Tragic ferry disaster reveals systemic failures.

In 2011, the Tonganjin company attempted to board a passenger ferry on the Han River during the holiday season, exceeding its capacity of 200 people by trying to board 500 passengers.
Passengers on board prevented a tragedy by threatening to riot against the company's blatant rule-bending and dangerous overloading practices.
Company employees had safety concerns as cargo was never secured, leading to potential hazards.
Despite complaints and safety concerns, the company's executives, led by Mr. Yubyeong, prioritized loading as much cargo as possible without securing it.
The overloading of the ferry brought in an extra three million dollars, equating to ten thousand dollars for each passenger who tragically died.
The Korean Register of Shipping, responsible for maritime safety, failed to follow up or facilitate inspections, leading to a lack of oversight.
The Coast Guard's incompetence during the ferry disaster was evident as they delayed rescuing the captain and hindered civilian and international rescue efforts.
The U.S. Navy and professional divers were reluctant to assist due to the Coast Guard's unsafe conditions, demanding improvements before aiding in body recovery.
Criminal trials ensued, with blame-shifting between the ferry captain, Coast Guard, and other entities, resulting in multiple indictments and charges.
Families of the victims faced immense grief and trauma, with some resorting to self-harm, depression, and even suicide, leading to broken families and lasting emotional scars.

01:43:15

Tragic ferry incident sparks national unity and grief.

A 71-year-old woman witnessed a tragic incident on a boat where her four friends died, but a young man saved her life by pulling her up and escorting her to safety.
Civilians showed support to parents of victims by tying yellow ribbons everywhere, symbolizing solidarity and skepticism towards the government's handling of the incident.
President Park's administration was exposed for falsifying records during the tragedy, leading to her impeachment for corruption and a significant drop in ratings.
The government delayed salvaging the ferry, with private companies proposing solutions, and eventually adopting a plan similar to one presented two months after the incident.
Parents of victims staged a hunger strike for the truth, while some supporters of the president defended her, leading to a moving plea for answers and justice.
The ferry was salvaged three years later, with partial remains found, and families received minimal compensation for each victim lost.
Survivors returned to school 71 days after the tragedy, with group therapy provided to students, and the nation mourned with various industries halting activities in honor of the victims.
K-pop artists halted promotions, with BTS releasing a song inspired by the incident, and other artists dedicating performances and songs to the victims, showcasing a unified response to the tragedy.

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