Human remains found at Sewol reclamation site

Maritime officials said Tuesday they discovered what appeared to be the remains of one of the nine missing victims of the sinking of the Sewol ferry in April 2014.

Bones were found on the semi-submersible ship onto which the wreck of the Sewol was hoisted last Saturday. Workers have been draining the wreck of seawater and oil. The remains may have come from the interior of the ship with the drained water and oil, an official with knowledge of the operation said.

The wreck of the Sewol was raised from its watery grave last Saturday after almost three years.
It is not yet known whether the bones actually belong to one of the nine missing victims. Local authorities said they were looking for further clues.

A press briefing on the matter is scheduled to be held at 4:30 p.m.

Among the nine missing victims were four students and two teachers from Danwon High School, a 51-year-old female passenger and a father and son. They were among 476 passengers on the Sewol ferry April 16, 2014, leaving Incheon for Jeju Island, when the ferry capsized mid-way in waters off Korea’s southwestern coast.

BY OH WON-SEOK, LEE SUNG-EUN [lee.sungeun@joongang.co.kr]