A new investigation into the 2014 Sewol ferry disaster has determined that the tragedy began with a steering malfunction, followed by a cargo shift that overwhelmed the unstable vessel.
On April 16, 2014, the Sewol ferry capsized off South Korea’s Jindo County, killing 304 people, most of them high school students. The captain abandoned ship early, instructing passengers to remain in their cabins — a decision later deemed responsible for increasing fatalities. He was convicted of murder by omission and sentenced to life in prison, while other crew members and a coast guard officer received lesser sentences.
To determine the cause and recover remaining victims, South Korean authorities enlisted Shanghai Salvage to raise the wreck—the deepest salvage operation ever attempted. The intact vessel, later examined onshore, provided critical evidence.
The Korea Maritime Safety Tribunal ruled out a collision, instead focusing on internal failures. Previous investigations had already established that the ferry was dangerously overloaded and top-heavy due to unauthorized structural modifications.
The latest findings align with a 2018 probe, concluding that a solenoid valve failure in the steering system caused a sharp turn. The sudden tilt, combined with unsecured cargo, worsened the ship’s list. With insufficient stability to recover, the Sewol took on water and capsized.
The report reinforces earlier conclusions while underscoring the fatal consequences of mechanical failure, poor regulation, and human negligence. The disaster remains one of South Korea’s worst maritime tragedies, prompting lasting changes in safety policies.
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