By Lee Kyung-min
More than 70 members of a recovery team began searching the interior of the ferry Sewol, Tuesday, to look for the remains of the nine victims whose bodies remain missing, according to the maritime authorities.
The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries established groups of eight officials _ one each from the Coast Guard, Fire Department, National Forensic Service, and five from Korea Salvage, a local contractor hired by the ministry _ to conduct search operations.
The team found items like bags and clothing believed to belong to the victims. The workers placed them in boxes to deliver to families after identification.
They will focus on the left side of the stern of the Sewol on the fourth floor, the passenger compartment, where most of the victims are believed to have stayed.
Upon finding what are believed to be the remains of the victims, the team will halt the search operation and notify the bereaved family members.
“We are seeking to finish the work within the next three months, as stipulated in the original salvage plan,” said Lee Cheol-jo, the ministry official in charge of overseeing the operation.
“However, the work may take longer, depending on complications that may occur during the search. Our priority is to minimize damage to the ferry to help determine the cause of the sinking,” he added.
The ministry decided to search the passenger compartment first, following statements from both survivors and divers mobilized during the underwater search soon after the sinking as well as surveillance video footage records.
The team cut holes in the passenger compartment to make nine 1.2-meter by 1.5-meter entrances after concluding that they would not interfere with finding the cause of the sinking.
Workers will set up surveillance cameras, lighting and ventilation systems. After making their way into the ferry, they will remove all objects inside including furniture and fittings, to sift through the mud inside to recover the victims’ remains.
Instead of digging with large shovels, which could break human bones, the team will use small trowels as the workers search by hand.
The search of the inside follows successful preparations last week.
The exterior of the wreck was cleaned last Thursday with high-pressure industrial hoses to remove mud, oil, salt residue, rust and barnacles.
Korea Salvage officials under the supervision of the ministry set up two 26-meter high working towers, one at the ferry’s bow and the other at the stern, to determine the optimal spots to make the entrances. The Sewol, currently lying on its left side, is 22 meters high, the equivalent of a nine-story apartment building.
On Saturday, a 1-meter-high safety net was set up around the ferry to prevent workers from falling to the ground while working on the steep, slippery hull of the ferry.
Sterilization of the ferry’s interior was also complete. Chemical agents were sprayed through openings in the hull and windows to help prevent workers’ exposure to harmful gases and other detrimental environmental factors.