South Korean ferry sinks

This item appears on page 16 of the June 2014 issue.

A ferry traveling from Incheon in northwest South Korea to the resort island of Jeju in the south capsized on April 16. Of the 476 on board the MV Sewol, 174 passengers and crew were rescued as the ship tilted and sank. At press time, more than 244 bodies had been removed from the wreck, with about 58 passengers still missing. 

Most of the passengers were high school students and teachers on a school trip. It was the worst maritime disaster in South Korea in 21 years. 

Just before the ship began to tilt, it took a sharp turn, which may have redistributed cargo. The vessel was carrying three times the recommended cargo weight. The third mate was at the helm. Survivors reported that, even as the ship tilted, crew instructed them to wait in their cabins.