The bones and belongings of victims of the Sewol ferry disaster have been found on board the vessel, almost a week after it was lifted from the water off the coast of South Korea.
Speaking to reporters Tuesday, Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries official Lee Cheol-jo said salvage workers had “found bones of a dead person on the deck,” while preparing to transport the ferry to land. Footwear and other belongings were also found.
“We have found a total of six bones ranging in size from four to 18 centimeters,” Lee said. “We believe they came through the windows and opening of the ferry’s bow.”
It is unclear whether the bones belong to one person, Lee said, adding that DNA tests will be carried out, the results of which will take at least two weeks. It’ll be the end of a tortuous wait for at least one family, who have been waiting almost three years for answers.
Salvage operation
The Sewol sank on April 16, 2014, killing 304 people — mostly teens on a school trip. Nine bodies are still missing.
Last week, engineers worked overnight to lift the 140-meter vessel from the water, ensuring that it did not break apart in the process.
Officials said the ferry, currently attached to two salvage ships near where it sank, will be returned to Shin Port around April 4, depending on weather conditions.
Emotions were raw last week as the families of victims witnessed the ferry return to the surface.
“It’s the first time in three years I’ve seen the ferry with my naked eye, and it’s hard to understand why we couldn’t lift it before,” Jang Dong-won told CNN.
“The priority is to find the missing bodies and do the least damage to the ship so we can find the truth and the reason it sank.”
For many of the families of the victims, the wait for answers has been agonizing.
“My son was the 220th body to be found, after 16 days,” said Shin Chang-sik. “I can’t imagine how the children were shouting and calling for their mother and father on the ship, I feel sorry for him and at the same time I am sorry (I couldn’t be there).”
Shin said the disaster “feels like yesterday.”
“My days stopped on April 16, 2014. I would do anything to turn the clock back to April 15th,” he said.