Marine Link
Friday, March 29, 2024
SUBSCRIBE

Jindo Island News

16 Jul 2015

South Korea Chooses Shanghai Salvage-led consortium to Lift Sewol Ferry

South Korea has chosen a consortium led by China’s state-run Shanghai Salvage Co. as the preferred bidder to raise the Sewol passenger ferry which sank off Jindo Island on April 16, 2014, the country’s Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF) said in a statement. The consortium of Shanghai Salvage and an unnamed South Korean company beat six other consortia competing for the contract. The 6,825-tonne Sewol ferry sank off the southwest coast in April 2014. A total of 295 bodies were recovered, but nine remained unaccounted for when divers finally called off the dangerous search of the sunken vessel last November. The Sewol lies 40 metres (130 feet) down on the sea bed and bringing it to the surface represents a substantial technical challenge.

21 Apr 2014

Ill-fated Korean Ferry May Have Been Going too Fast

It should have been plain sailing for a South Korean ferry carrying hundreds of children and their teachers on an outing to the sub-tropical island of Jeju, an annual trip for Danwon High School. The Sewol had 476 passengers and crew on board, including 339 children and teachers. It had an experienced captain, was navigating well-known waters and had passed its annual inspections since it was bought second hand in 2012 by Chonghaejin Marine Co. Ltd. But prosecutors believe the vessel capsized after turning at too high a speed. Sixty-four people are known to have died and 238 are missing, presumed dead, mostly children. In an arrest document…