VIDEO: Investigation fails to pinpoint cause of Sewol ferry sinking

AUGUST 10, 2018 — According to Yonhap news agency, Arirang News and other reports, a state panel assigned to investigate Korea’s 2014 Sewol ferry disaster has failed to pinpoint the exact cause of the ship’s sinking after a yearlong effort, leaving many unanswered questions.

The accident claimed 304 lives, mostly high school students on a school trip.

Yonhap says that the eight-member panel concluded that the cause of the Sewol sinking could be either problems with the ship or an unknown external shock.

Problems with the ship could include a sudden turn of the ship, excessive cargo load and substandard refurbishing of the vessel that could have affected its stability and buoyancy, while external factors could be collision with a submarine or other unknown objects, the panel said.

The panel submitted its investigation report to President Moon Jae-in and decided to preserve the wreckage that was raised to carry out an in-depth probe and to raise public awareness of the tragic accident. A final decision will be made on whether to preserve the ship after getting feedback from bereaved families and others.