Jindo (South Korea): Prosecutors on Thursday officially attributed the sinking of a South Korean ferry to an improper stowage of cargo and a loss of stability caused by a change in the vessel’s design, the New York Times (NYT) reported.
According to the report, 184 of the ship’s 476 passengers were confirmed dead, and 118 remained missing. Two-thirds of the passengers were second-year students from Danwon High School in Ansan, south of Seoul.
Prosecutors investigating why the ship suddenly listed and overturned were quoted as citing several causes, a sharper-than-recommended turn it made while passing through a strong current; the recent addition of cabins in the upper decks that made the ship top-heavy and impaired its ability to right itself after tilting and an improper securing of vehicles, shipping containers and other cargo that allowed the items to come loose and slide to the side, further damaging the ship’s ability to recover its balance.
Meanwhile, divers found a cabin cramped with 45 bodies who were fighting to escape the ship when it was sinking.
Volunteers to comfort victims’ kin
Jindo: A small army of volunteers, offering everything from free taxi rides to laundry services and home-cooked food, has set up camp on the tiny island at the operational heart of South Korea’s ferry disaster. While corporations and top TV and sports stars sent large cash donations for recovery and rehabilitation efforts, thousands of ordinary South Koreans simply decided to send themselves.
The entire country has been rocked by the unprecedented tragedy that looks set to claim around 300 lives.
