Sinking of the MV Sewol
Off the coast of South Korea, a very large ferry named the Sewol capsized on the morning of April 16. The Japanese-built ferry held 476 onboard, mostly high school students on a trip to a tourist island. 164 were rescued by fishing boats and other commercial vessels, four were killed, leaving about 300 passengers unaccounted for. By nighttime, the ferry was upside down with only its bow being visible. On May 15, three crew members, the captain, and the owner who operated the Sewol, Yoo Byung-eun, had warrants out for their arrests. Despite a nationwide search, Yoo’s location was unknown until July 22 when police found his dead body, but the cause of his death remains unclear. The tragedy is extremely devastating, and many hold the captain and the crew, who were charged with murder, responsible for the disaster.