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Hopes Fade for Families in Ferry Disaster Hopes Fade for Families in Ferry Disaster
(about 1 hour later)
JINDO, South Korea — “I know you are cold, hungry, scared, hurt down there,” said one of the well-wishers’ notes stuck on a rescuers’ tent on a pier on this island. “My dear, the rope of life is coming your way.”JINDO, South Korea — “I know you are cold, hungry, scared, hurt down there,” said one of the well-wishers’ notes stuck on a rescuers’ tent on a pier on this island. “My dear, the rope of life is coming your way.”
Such messages sounded more forlorn than hopeful on Wednesday, as divers searching the ferry that sank a week earlier in waters off southeast South Korea brought out scores of bodies, nearly all those of high school students, but reported no sign of life inside. With hopes of finding more survivors all but gone, some families, as well as the nation, began bidding farewell to the students whose bodies have been recovered. Such messages sounded more forlorn than hopeful on Wednesday, as divers searching the ferry that sank a week earlier in waters off southeast South Korea brought out scores of bodies, nearly all those of high school students, but reported no sign of life inside. With hopes of finding more survivors all but gone, some families, as well as the nation, began bidding farewell to the students whose bodies have been recovered. And in an unusual gesture, North Korea sent its condolences.
In Ansan, a city south of Seoul, students and relatives filed in to Danwon High School, which the students had attended. The mourners, some weeping and wailing, laid long-stemmed white chrysanthemums, traditional flowers for funerals in Korea, before an altar in a gymnasium.In Ansan, a city south of Seoul, students and relatives filed in to Danwon High School, which the students had attended. The mourners, some weeping and wailing, laid long-stemmed white chrysanthemums, traditional flowers for funerals in Korea, before an altar in a gymnasium.
On the altar was a row of photographs of students, many smiling, who had been found dead in the 6,825-ton ferry.On the altar was a row of photographs of students, many smiling, who had been found dead in the 6,825-ton ferry.
Survivors said most of the 325 students on board on a school trip were trapped inside the ship after the crew repeatedly urged them to stay where they were even though the ship was badly listing. Most of the crew members, however, were among the first to flee the ship, while no survivors have come out to report that they heard an evacuation order. Survivors said most of the 325 students on board on a school trip were trapped inside after the crew repeatedly urged them to stay where they were even though the ship was badly listing. Most of the crew members, however, were among the first to flee the ship. Survivors have said they never heard an evacuation order.
Politicians, government officials and citizens lined up at the memorial site to offer their tribute to young lives wasted in one of the country’s worst peacetime disasters. The country was gripped by soul-searching over how South Korea, no longer a third-world military dictatorship but a globalized economic powerhouse, could suffer a calamity of this scale. Politicians, government officials and citizens lined up at the memorial site to offer their tribute to young lives lost in one of the country’s worst peacetime disasters. The country was gripped by soul-searching over how South Korea, no longer a third-world military dictatorship but a globalized economic powerhouse, could suffer a calamity of this scale.
Big digital screens on both sides of the altar showed cellphone messages sent from South Koreans.
“These are like my own grandchildren,” said one visitor, Song Gi-yeon, 84. "This kind of thing should never happen again.”“These are like my own grandchildren,” said one visitor, Song Gi-yeon, 84. "This kind of thing should never happen again.”
On a billboard outside, one mother had written, "My beloved daughter and son, I will carry you in my heart till I join you in heaven.” Big digital screens on both sides of the altar showed cellphone messages sent from South Koreans nationwide. On a billboard outside, one mother had written, “My beloved daughter and son, I will carry you in my heart till I join you in heaven.”
As of Wednesday afternoon, the death toll had risen to 150, as divers recovered more bodies from inside the ship. The officials said 152 people, the vast majority of them students, were still missing and presumed dead. The ferry had been carrying 475 people when it sank.As of Wednesday afternoon, the death toll had risen to 150, as divers recovered more bodies from inside the ship. The officials said 152 people, the vast majority of them students, were still missing and presumed dead. The ferry had been carrying 475 people when it sank.
“The saddest thing about this disaster is that the young students did as the adults told them to, but the adults abandoned them in a crisis and the system didn’t save them,” said M. J. Hwang, a professor of sociology at Korea University, referring to the difficulties young students have in questioning decisions by their elders in the Confucian and hierarchical South Korean society.“The saddest thing about this disaster is that the young students did as the adults told them to, but the adults abandoned them in a crisis and the system didn’t save them,” said M. J. Hwang, a professor of sociology at Korea University, referring to the difficulties young students have in questioning decisions by their elders in the Confucian and hierarchical South Korean society.
Grief and condolences, as well as anger, swept through online communities of this highly wired nation. This week, a spontaneous campaign started online, with thousands of Facebook and Twitter users posting messages of condolences for the students, many of them venting anger at the government and the ferry’s crew and owner for not preventing the disaster.Grief and condolences, as well as anger, swept through online communities of this highly wired nation. This week, a spontaneous campaign started online, with thousands of Facebook and Twitter users posting messages of condolences for the students, many of them venting anger at the government and the ferry’s crew and owner for not preventing the disaster.
Many of them replaced their online ID photos with one showing a black funeral ribbon in a yellow background. Many of them replaced their online ID photos with one showing a black funeral ribbon on a yellow background.
On Wednesday, prosecutors sought to arrest three more members of the ship’s 29-member crew. So far, seven of them, including the captain, Lee Jun-seok, have been arrested on various criminal charges, including accidental homicide, that stemmed from their decision to leave the ship before the passengers. North Korea sent its condolences through a telephone hot line at the truce village of Panmunjom on the border between North and South, the Unification Ministry of the South said. The North’s Korean Central News Agency confirmed that the message had been sent. Seoul did not immediately respond.
At Paengmok Port on the southern coast of this island, families, exhausted after eight days of camping out in the tents, waited for navy and civilian divers to bring in more bodies. The exchange of condolences between the two uneasy neighbors is not unprecedented. The North sent one in 2003 when an subway arson in the South killed 192 passengers. The South reciprocated in 2006, when the North suffered extensive flood damages.
Under a blazing sun on a windy concrete pier, several mothers and grandmothers gazed at the sea, crying and praying. A monk struck a wooden gong and chanted Buddhist scripts praying for the dead's safe journey to the other world. A traditional singer sang a song consoling the dead. Still, such a gesture from the strident North Korean regime was rare enough that it could have been taken as a major sign of thawing relations, except that it came a day after the South Korean Defense Ministry cited increased activity at an underground nuclear test site in in northeast North Korea.
In South Korea on Wednesday, prosecutors filed paperwork seeking arrest warrants for three more members of the ship’s 29-member crew. So far, seven of them, including the captain, Lee Jun-seok, have been arrested on various criminal charges, including accidental homicide, stemming from their decision to leave the ship before the passengers.
At Paengmok Port on the southern coast of this island, families, exhausted after eight days of camping out in ents, waited for navy and civilian divers to bring in more bodies.
Under a blazing sun on a windy concrete pier, several mothers and grandmothers gazed at the sea, crying and praying. A monk struck a wooden gong and chanted Buddhist scripts praying for the dead’s safe journey to the other world. A traditional singer sang a song consoling the dead.
South Koreans place great importance on giving their dead a proper burial, so the wait for bodies to be recovered is creating tremendous mental anguish.South Koreans place great importance on giving their dead a proper burial, so the wait for bodies to be recovered is creating tremendous mental anguish.
When new bodies arrived at the port, the grim work of identification began. Many of the bodies were too decomposed to allow identification by sight, and some did not carry any ID cards. Officials put brief descriptions of the bodies and their personal effects on a billboard to help families trying to identify their loved ones.When new bodies arrived at the port, the grim work of identification began. Many of the bodies were too decomposed to allow identification by sight, and some did not carry any ID cards. Officials put brief descriptions of the bodies and their personal effects on a billboard to help families trying to identify their loved ones.
About one body, believed to be that of a female student, officials offered these details: “160 centimeters tall, a mole behind the left ear, a piercing in the left nostril, a mole in the neck, nail paint on the left fingers.” Hoodies, trainers, and sports pants were among the common items found on the teenagers, who had finished breakfast on the morning of April 16 after their first night on the ship and were taking a break when the ship began listing.About one body, believed to be that of a female student, officials offered these details: “160 centimeters tall, a mole behind the left ear, a piercing in the left nostril, a mole in the neck, nail paint on the left fingers.” Hoodies, trainers, and sports pants were among the common items found on the teenagers, who had finished breakfast on the morning of April 16 after their first night on the ship and were taking a break when the ship began listing.
“Identification has become a problem as bodies have begun decomposing,” said Ahn Sang-don, a senior prosecutor in charge of investigating the sinking.“Identification has become a problem as bodies have begun decomposing,” said Ahn Sang-don, a senior prosecutor in charge of investigating the sinking.
Family members have been supplying DNA samples to help officials identify bodies. But even before test results are received, officials have allowed some grieving and anxious families desperate to put an end to their ordeal to take bodies they are certain are those of their children, on the condition that they not bury them until DNA tests provide confirmation.Family members have been supplying DNA samples to help officials identify bodies. But even before test results are received, officials have allowed some grieving and anxious families desperate to put an end to their ordeal to take bodies they are certain are those of their children, on the condition that they not bury them until DNA tests provide confirmation.
One family had kept a body for two days, holding a family memorial service, when the DNA test results showed that it was that of another student, Mr. Ahn said. As it turned out, their child's body had been in a temporary morgue for two days, waiting to be claimed. One family had kept a body for two days, holding a family memorial service, when the DNA test results showed that it was that of another student, Mr. Ahn said. As it turned out, their child’s body had been in a temporary morgue for two days, waiting to be claimed.