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Sinking of the MV Sewol

2:58

Fisherman rescued students from sinking ferry

1:40

Heartbreaking video reveals final goodbyes of South Korea ferry passengers

0:41

Sinking of the MV Sewol

2:36

Simulator helps show final moments before ferry sank

2:10

What caused the ship to sink?

The sinking of MV Sewol, also called the Sewol ferry disaster, occurred on the morning of 16 April 2014, when the passenger/ro-ro ferry was en route from Incheon towards Jeju in South Korea. The South Korean ferry sank while carrying 476 people, mostly secondary school students from Danwon High School. The 6,825-ton vessel sent a distress signal from about 2.7 kilometres (1.7 mi) north of Byeongpungdo at 08:58 Korea Standard Time. In total, 304 passengers and crew members died in the disaster. Of the approximately 172 survivors, more than half were rescued by fishing boats and other commercial vessels that arrived at the scene approximately 40 minutes after the South Korean coast guard.
  • Background 

  • 16 April 2014 

  • Rescue operations 

  • Investigation 

  • Litigation 

  • Aftermath 

  • Reactions 

  • Salvage