In pics: 6,800-ton South Korean ferry that sank 3 years ago lifted from sea

24 March 2017 10:37 AM IST

Salvage workers are slowly pulling the huge, corroded South Korean ferry above the sea surface on Thursday.

The damaged Sewol ferry was held afloat between two barges during a salvage operation off the South Korean island of Jindo (Photo: AFP)
Relatives of missing passengers of the sunken Sewol ferry on a boat, front, watch its salvage operation in waters off Jindo, South Korea
South Korean efforts to bring the sunken ferry back to land cleared an obstacle on Friday after divers cut off a vehicle ramp
Once it's at the port, investigators will enter the ferry to search the interior for bodies or clues to what caused sinking.
Fifty divers and up to 400 other workers were involved to pull out the remains of the ferry from the sea.
Divers put dozens of metal beams beneath the sunken ferry and connected them to two huge barges on the surface via 66 cables.
The Sewol had been lying with left side buried, and South Korea wants to lift it as it is, rather than first pulling it upright.
The ferry which sank off South Korea's coast in April 2014, emerged above the surface and were visible on live TV footage.
A corroded, 6,800-ton sewol ferry lying more than 40 meters undersea was lifted by South Korea in delicate operation.

The damaged Sewol ferry was held afloat between two barges during a salvage operation off the South Korean island of Jindo (Photo: AFP)

Salvage workers are slowly pulling the huge, corroded South Korean ferry above the sea surface on Thursday.