Ferry may have hit submerged rock

What caused the Sewol, a 6,852-ton car ferry, to sink?

According to Coast Guard and news reports, survivors said that they heard a big “thumping” sound before the vessel started to list.

Based on initial investigations, the authorities said that the Sewol might have hit a submerged rock.

Some reports said that the vessel was off course but the owner of the ship denied this.

The final cause of the accident has yet to be confirmed.

Coast Guard and military divers have been sent to the accident site to discover the cause of the sinking.

The ship was not equipped with a voyage data recorder because it was a coastal ferry that sails relatively short distances.

Waters where the Sewol sank are known for strong tides, and there are many submerged rocks.

However, the route the ferry was following has no such rocks, according to the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries.

Coast Guard officials said the route is often used by smaller ships.

Some rescued survivors said that immediately after the big sound, the ship started to take on water.

“The boat suddenly started sinking,” a rescued passenger was quoted by the Coast Guard as saying.

A passenger told Yonhap: “Crew members told us to remain seated, but water flooded into the cabins.”

The ship was initially scheduled to depart from Incheon at 7 p.m. Tuesday, but its departure was delayed two hours because of thick fog. The ship was heading to Jeju Island.

A Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) official said, “Given weather conditions in the area, visibility in the accident area seems not to have been so bad.”

The KMA has an observatory on nearby Jindo Island, but could not check the site’s exact weather condition. “Localized fog banks can occur in small areas,” the KMA official said.

Officials said they will question crew members, including the captain, about their compliance with safety measures.

Divers sent down to the wreck are looking to check whether there is a submerged rock and if the ship has a hole in its hull. By Nam Hyun-woo The korea times