April 16, Jindo South Korea, the ferry Sewol sunk holding many civilians inside. Most were high school students on a field trip to Jeju.
Witnesses say that there was an explosion in the ship before it sank, then the captain of the ferry told the passengers to stay or go to their rooms and that everything would be all right.
Shockingly, the first distress call was made by not of the crew members but a boy. The boy dialed South Korea’s emergency number saying, “Help us. The boat is sinking.”
By the time the passengers were told to evacuate, it was already too late; many passengers were trapped. One of the first to escape the sinking ferry was the captain of the ship who was later arrested and accused of abandoning the passengers.
When the Sewol departed for Jeju island, it held about 476 passengers, but only 174 survived. More than 260 people died, leaving about 40 missing. Not all bodies were found due to the strong currents pushing them far into sea.
This horrifying event has left South Korea in a national grief as families grieve for their loved ones.
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