Sinking of the MV Seohae

Sinking of the MV Seohae
Wido
Gyeokpo
Sinking of the MV Seohae (South Korea)
Date October 10, 1993
Location Near Wido, Buan County, North Jeolla Province, South Korea
Deaths 292
Injuries 70
On board 362

The South Korean ferry Seohae (Korean: 서해 페리호; Hanja: 西海페리號) sank on October 10, 1993 in the Yellow Sea near Wido, Buan County, North Jeolla Province. 292 of the 362 passengers and crew on board were killed. 70 people were rescued.[1][2][3]

At the time, this accident was the largest ferry disaster in South Korea since December 15, 1970, when 323 people on board were killed on the ferry Namyoung (남영호).[3][4]

Accident

Seohae was a ferry of 110 gross tons, with a maximum capacity of 221 passengers. At the time of the accident, Seohae was carrying 362 people (355 passengers and 7 crew), an excess of 141, and the weather condition was harsh with winds of 10 to 14 metres per second (22 to 31 mph) and wave height of 2 to 3 metres (6.6 to 9.8 ft).[3]

Overload was a factor in the sinking. Another was a 1-cm thick rope found wrapped around both propeller shafts. The rope, left behind by fishing operations, may have made the ferry heel over onto her starboard side.[5]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Fears rise for missing in SKorea ferry sinking". Associated Press. Apr 17, 2014.
  2. ↑ "Over 280 missing after South Korean ferry capsizes". Reuters. April 16, 2014.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 [진도 여객선 침몰]21년 전 '서해 페리호' 공포 엄습 [[Progress ferry sinking] 21 years ago, the "Seohae ferry" morbid fear] (in Korean). News1 Korea. 2014-04-16.
  4. ↑ 남영호 사고 326명 사망 ‘최악’… 서해 페리호 292명 숨져 [Namyoungho accident killed 326 people 'worst' ... Seohae ferry 292 people died] (in Korean). dongA.com. 2014-04-17.
  5. ↑ Marine Debris Management, by Dong Oh-Cho, Korea Maritime Institute, undated