South Korea discovers remains 3 years on
SEOUL: Salvage crews yesterday found what is presumed to be the remains of one of the missing victims of the 2014 Sewol ferry disaster that killed 304 people, an official said.
The remains were found in the waters near where the ship’s wreckage was raised last week, said an official from the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries.
Rescue workers had recovered the bodies of 295 passengers before the government ended underwater searches in November 2014. Nine of the ferry’s passengers had remained missing.
Earlier yesterday, relatives of missing passengers participated in an emotional memorial service on a boat near the transport vessel holding the ferry.
Representatives of Catholic and Protestant churches, and Buddhists delivered prayers wishing for the remains of the nine to be recovered.
Relatives threw yellow roses into the sea, a colour that has become the symbol of their suffering, and watched from afar as the transport vessel crew emptied the wreckage of water and fuel.
“The ship has come up, but not the nine people inside it,” said Lee Geum-hee, the mother of a missing schoolgirl.
“Please don’t forget there are people inside the dirty, rusty and smelly wreckage. Please do the best and let us bring them back home.” AP