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4 Employed by Operator of Doomed South Korean Ferry Are Arrested 4 Employed by Operator of Doomed South Korean Ferry Are Arrested
(about 3 hours later)
SEOUL, South Korea — Four officials with the operator of the doomed South Korean ferry have been arrested on charges of overloading the ship with cargo, a senior prosecutor said on Tuesday, as President Park Geun-hye attributed one of her country’s worst peacetime disasters to corporate “greed.”SEOUL, South Korea — Four officials with the operator of the doomed South Korean ferry have been arrested on charges of overloading the ship with cargo, a senior prosecutor said on Tuesday, as President Park Geun-hye attributed one of her country’s worst peacetime disasters to corporate “greed.”
Since the 6,825-ton ferry Sewol sank off southwestern South Korea on April 16, damning charges of poor seamanship, corporate greed and lax regulatory enforcement of safety measures have surfaced, leaving little doubt among South Koreans that the ferry, in retrospect, had been a perfect recipe for disaster.Since the 6,825-ton ferry Sewol sank off southwestern South Korea on April 16, damning charges of poor seamanship, corporate greed and lax regulatory enforcement of safety measures have surfaced, leaving little doubt among South Koreans that the ferry, in retrospect, had been a perfect recipe for disaster.
With the arrest of four officials of Chonghaejin Marine Company, including a 62-year-old executive who was put behind bars on Tuesday, investigators formally identified overloading as one of the causes of the disaster, which left 263 dead and 39 missing as of Tuesday.With the arrest of four officials of Chonghaejin Marine Company, including a 62-year-old executive who was put behind bars on Tuesday, investigators formally identified overloading as one of the causes of the disaster, which left 263 dead and 39 missing as of Tuesday.
The officials faced criminal charges, including accidental homicide. They were accused of contributing to the deaths of passengers by ordering the overloading of the ship or ignoring the danger that the excessive cargo and its improper stowage caused to the vessel’s stability.The officials faced criminal charges, including accidental homicide. They were accused of contributing to the deaths of passengers by ordering the overloading of the ship or ignoring the danger that the excessive cargo and its improper stowage caused to the vessel’s stability.
Investigators had earlier said that the Sewol suddenly listed and began sinking while making a sharp turn amid a strong current. They also attributed the accident to the recent addition of cabins in the upper decks that made the ship top-heavy and impaired its ability to right itself after tilting. Many of the vehicles, shipping containers and other cargo on board were also poorly lashed or not tied down at all, letting them slide to the side when the ship tilted, further damaging its ability to recover its balance, they said. Investigators had earlier said that the Sewol suddenly listed and began sinking while making a sharp turn amid a strong current. They also attributed the accident to the recent addition of cabins in the upper decks that made the ship top-heavy and impaired its ability to right itself after tilting. Many of the vehicles, shipping containers and other cargo on board were poorly lashed or not tied down at all, so that they slid to the side when the ship tilted, further damaging its ability to recover its balance, they said.
“We are still calculating exactly how many tons of cargo the ship was carrying, but based on what we have found out so far, it’s clear that it was carrying more than allowed,” said Yang Joong-jin, a senior prosecutor involved in the investigation.“We are still calculating exactly how many tons of cargo the ship was carrying, but based on what we have found out so far, it’s clear that it was carrying more than allowed,” said Yang Joong-jin, a senior prosecutor involved in the investigation.
In South Korea, where memories of large-scale disasters, like the collapse of a Seoul department store that killed 501 people in 1995, remain fresh, the ferry disaster stood out as one of the most traumatizing. Of the 302 people dead or missing, 250 were high school students who survivors said were trapped inside the ship because the crew repeatedly urged them to stay put while the ship was badly tilting. Some of the trapped students asked for help or bid farewell to their families through cellphone text messages or video footage, leaving the country in a wrenching state of anguish, grief and shame.In South Korea, where memories of large-scale disasters, like the collapse of a Seoul department store that killed 501 people in 1995, remain fresh, the ferry disaster stood out as one of the most traumatizing. Of the 302 people dead or missing, 250 were high school students who survivors said were trapped inside the ship because the crew repeatedly urged them to stay put while the ship was badly tilting. Some of the trapped students asked for help or bid farewell to their families through cellphone text messages or video footage, leaving the country in a wrenching state of anguish, grief and shame.
For three weeks, distraught families have camped out on a pier near the site of the sinking. Divers have been struggling against strong currents and poor visibility to reach the ship lying on its side 120 feet underwater. Once there, they crawled through a dark maze of corridors and cabins clogged with debris to pull out scores of bodies. On Tuesday, one of the divers died after losing consciousness underwater.For three weeks, distraught families have camped out on a pier near the site of the sinking. Divers have been struggling against strong currents and poor visibility to reach the ship lying on its side 120 feet underwater. Once there, they crawled through a dark maze of corridors and cabins clogged with debris to pull out scores of bodies. On Tuesday, one of the divers died after losing consciousness underwater.
“As the president, who must protect the lives of the people, I am sorry and heavy-hearted,” Ms. Park said while visiting a temple in central Seoul on Tuesday to mark Buddha’s Birthday. “I am at a loss what to say to console the families who lost young students.” “As the president, who must protect the lives of the people, I am sorry and heavy-hearted,” Ms. Park said while visiting a temple in central Seoul on Tuesday to mark Buddha’s birthday. “I am at a loss what to say to console the families who lost young students.”
It was her second apology in a week for failing to prevent the disaster and for the government’s fumbling the early phases of rescue operations. Her approval ratings have plummeted in recent opinion surveys.It was her second apology in a week for failing to prevent the disaster and for the government’s fumbling the early phases of rescue operations. Her approval ratings have plummeted in recent opinion surveys.
Ms. Park responded to the disaster with a vow to fight the “deep-rooted evils of the past” — collusive ties between shipping companies, private safety inspectors and government ministries that she said created safety loopholes. On Tuesday, Ms. Park singled out businessmen who were “blinded by material greed and did not follow safety regulations” and regulators whose “irresponsibility in glossing over such injustice resulted in killing people.”Ms. Park responded to the disaster with a vow to fight the “deep-rooted evils of the past” — collusive ties between shipping companies, private safety inspectors and government ministries that she said created safety loopholes. On Tuesday, Ms. Park singled out businessmen who were “blinded by material greed and did not follow safety regulations” and regulators whose “irresponsibility in glossing over such injustice resulted in killing people.”
Prosecutors have raided the homes of a family that owns a major stake in Chonghaejin Marine through another company. They were also investigating two ship inspection agencies: the Korea Shipping Association and the Korean Register of Shipping.Prosecutors have raided the homes of a family that owns a major stake in Chonghaejin Marine through another company. They were also investigating two ship inspection agencies: the Korea Shipping Association and the Korean Register of Shipping.
So far, the ship’s captain, Lee Jun-seok, and 14 other crew members have been arrested on charges of abandoning their ship first, without alerting or escorting passengers to evacuate.So far, the ship’s captain, Lee Jun-seok, and 14 other crew members have been arrested on charges of abandoning their ship first, without alerting or escorting passengers to evacuate.
The disaster has exposed enormous safety gaps in the country’s domestic ferry industry.The disaster has exposed enormous safety gaps in the country’s domestic ferry industry.
The first thing Chonghaejin did when it bought the 18-year-old ferry secondhand from Japan was to add more cabins to its upper decks to increase its passenger capacity to 921 from 804. The redesigning added 187 tons of weight to the ship. Early last year, the Korean Register of Shipping approved the change on the condition that the Sewol reduce its maximum cargo capacity by more than half to 990 tons. It also demanded that the ship carry more ballast water in its bottom to make up for the stability lost in the redesigning, according to documents from the register. The first thing Chonghaejin did when it bought the 18-year-old ferry secondhand from Japan was to add more cabins to its upper decks to increase its passenger capacity to 921 from 804. The redesigning added 187 tons of weight to the ship. Early last year, the Korean Register of Shipping approved the change on the condition that the Sewol reduce its maximum cargo capacity by more than half, to 990 tons. It also demanded that the ship carry more ballast water in its bottom to make up for the stability lost in the redesigning, according to documents from the register.
But the enforcement of the requirements was left to the shipping company. Both the Korea Shipping Association, which was supposed to monitor ferries, and the Coast Guard, which oversees the association, have said they had not known about the new cargo limits for the Sewol.But the enforcement of the requirements was left to the shipping company. Both the Korea Shipping Association, which was supposed to monitor ferries, and the Coast Guard, which oversees the association, have said they had not known about the new cargo limits for the Sewol.
Meanwhile, the Sewol and the 6,322-ton Ohamana, another ferry operated by Chonghaejin, have routinely overloaded cargo, often carrying more than 3,000 tons, three times the legal limit, according to the shipping data available at the website of the Incheon Port Authority.Meanwhile, the Sewol and the 6,322-ton Ohamana, another ferry operated by Chonghaejin, have routinely overloaded cargo, often carrying more than 3,000 tons, three times the legal limit, according to the shipping data available at the website of the Incheon Port Authority.
When the Sewol embarked April 15 on its doomed voyage from Incheon, a port west of Seoul, it reported to the shipping association that it was carrying 657 tons of cargo and 150 vehicles. After the sinking, Chonghaejin revised the data, saying that the ship was carrying 124 cars and 56 trucks and 1,157 tons of cargo. (Investigators were questioning cargo companies to determine an accurate cargo volume.)When the Sewol embarked April 15 on its doomed voyage from Incheon, a port west of Seoul, it reported to the shipping association that it was carrying 657 tons of cargo and 150 vehicles. After the sinking, Chonghaejin revised the data, saying that the ship was carrying 124 cars and 56 trucks and 1,157 tons of cargo. (Investigators were questioning cargo companies to determine an accurate cargo volume.)
The ship’s captain was supposed to inspect his vessel and report to the port authorities before its departure. But a third ship’s mate filled out the inspection card without inspecting the ship and submitted it on the captain’s behalf. She told investigators that she was following the “usual practice,” said Mr. Yang, the senior prosecutor.The ship’s captain was supposed to inspect his vessel and report to the port authorities before its departure. But a third ship’s mate filled out the inspection card without inspecting the ship and submitted it on the captain’s behalf. She told investigators that she was following the “usual practice,” said Mr. Yang, the senior prosecutor.
An inspector from the shipping association — following another well-established practice — simply checked the load line, a marking on the hull of a vessel, to declare that the ship was not overloaded and was good to sail. Investigators said they were looking at whether the crew loaded only part of the required ballast water to keep the load line above the sea and hide the cargo overloading, thus further crippling the ship’s stability.An inspector from the shipping association — following another well-established practice — simply checked the load line, a marking on the hull of a vessel, to declare that the ship was not overloaded and was good to sail. Investigators said they were looking at whether the crew loaded only part of the required ballast water to keep the load line above the sea and hide the cargo overloading, thus further crippling the ship’s stability.
They said they were also checking domestic news reports saying that while the ship was still sinking, one of the four Chonghaejin officials later placed under arrest had tried to falsify the shipping data to disguise its overloading, Mr. Yang said.They said they were also checking domestic news reports saying that while the ship was still sinking, one of the four Chonghaejin officials later placed under arrest had tried to falsify the shipping data to disguise its overloading, Mr. Yang said.
“A real tragedy of the disaster was that those students who followed the instructions died,” said Bark Soon-il, head of the Korea Social Policy Institute in Seoul. “And those adults who made the rules but didn’t follow them escaped.”“A real tragedy of the disaster was that those students who followed the instructions died,” said Bark Soon-il, head of the Korea Social Policy Institute in Seoul. “And those adults who made the rules but didn’t follow them escaped.”