Sewol to leave for Mokpo Port Thursday

Underwater search operations to follow

By Jung Min-ho

The semisubmersible recovery ship carrying the ferry Sewol will set sail for Mokpo Port, Thursday, according to the government.

Speaking to reporters Monday, Lee Cheol-jo, an official from the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, who is in charge of the ferry recovery operation, said the semisubmersible will head to Mokpo after salvage crews complete drainage and repair work over the next three days.

“It will take eight hours to sail the 105 kilometers to the port,” he added.

Lee said underwater search operations will follow early next month to look for the remains of the nine missing people. Searching inside the wreck is also expected to begin soon after.

The sunken ferry was raised from the depths last week, nearly three years after it sank on April 16, 2014, leaving 304 people dead in Korea’s worst maritime disaster.

Divers will search carefully for any remains on the sea floor near the site where it sank. Underwater fences have already been set up surrounding the area.

They will use shovels first and sound propagation to make sure that all their remains are collected.

Search operations will be recorded by HD cameras attached to the workers’ helmets.

“The speed of the water under the sea is very fast. Many of the remains are expected to be found near the fences,” Lee said.

He noted the timing of underwater search operations was based on many factors, including the progress of the ferry recovery work and weather conditions.

How to search inside the wreck will take some more time and debate as the ministry and the victims’ families have clashed over the issue.

The ministry repeatedly said some damage to the ferry may be inevitable because part of it was compressed to block passages, which could make search operations difficult. However, the families have consistently urged the ministry not to damage any parts of the ferry over concerns that it could result in losing evidence useful in finding out the exact cause of the disaster.

“The ministry is in talks with the family members over where and how to search for the missing people,” Lee said. “If it appears possible to conduct a search without causing any damage, we will try to do so.”

The ministry said water was being drained naturally through windows, entrances and drains inside the ferry, but said it may drill into the walls of cargo areas and hull to speed up the process.

Once the work is finished, the semisubmersible ship will start sailing to Mokpo at a speed that won’t exceed 18 kilometers per hour for safety reasons.

The recovery work was pushed back many times because of political instability and adverse weather conditions. Efforts to raise the ferry, which had been lying on its side at a depth of 44 meters, began March 22.