The sinking
of the South Korean ferry in April is one of the nation’s worst peacetime
disasters. The death toll has risen to 244 according to recent media reports,
and 58 more are unaccounted. Most of the lost lives were teenagers, further
magnifying the heartache and pain.
Relief effort
and investigations are still underway. The captain of the ferry, Lee Joon-seok,
now faces multiple charges for his part in the disaster. He is said to have
violated his responsibilities as the ferry's captain.
Possible
Causes of the Accident
Investigators are looking into several
possible causes and contributing factors to the ferry accident:
- Over-loaded – news reports indicate that the
ferry had a cargo weight limit of 895 metric tons. When the accident
occurred, it was carrying 3723 metric tons, almost four times its capacity,
according to the Associated Press.
- Overly sharp turn – a sharp turn could have caused
the weight to shift and the ship to list.
- Improperly secured
cargo – it’s
possible that cargo, including vehicles, came loose during the turn and
threw the vessel off balance.
- Stability issues – the ship may have had preexisting
stability issues. According to media reports, the ferry operator
Chonghaejin Marine Co. "brushed aside" warnings of stability
issues with the ferry after it underwent renovation a couple of years ago.
Vessel Captain Faces Multiple
Charges
The captain
now faces at least five charges for his part in the ferry disaster. Charges
include negligence of duty and violation of maritime law, reports Yonhap News
Agency.
The captain’s actions are being
carefully scrutinized, he:
- was not on the
bridge when the
ferry was traversing tightly-knit islands: he is required by law;
- abandoned his ship and passengers in need of help
and rescue; and
- may have ordered
evacuation far too late,
survivors have reported they never heard a call to evacuate.
The captain
isn’t the only one being charged. Several crewmembers are facing charges too.
Furthermore, numerous parties are under investigation including Chonghaejin
Marine Co officials, and other companies that had conducted safety checks, performed
ship renovations, or loaded container boxes.
South Korean President Equates
the Actions to Murder
South Korea
President Park Geun-Hye publicly criticized the captain’s actions of gross
negligence. Voice of America explains
the president’s stance: “[Park] says the conduct of the captain and some crew
members is unfathomable, from the viewpoint of common sense, and it was like an
act of murder that cannot and should not be tolerated. Crewmembers told the
passengers to stay where they were but then escaped themselves. She says this
is legally and ethically unimaginable.”
Maritime laws
are put into place to prevent disasters such as this from occurring, to keep
people safe at sea. Neglecting the laws and sidestepping regulations such as in
this horrific ferry incident places legal liability for damages upon those
responsible.
President
Park stated, “Anyone responsible for the accident and criminally at fault will
be sternly punished.”
Material of Interest to Mariners
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