Investigation Reveals Steering Failure and Cargo Shift Cause of Ferry Sinking in 2014

The recent investigation into the sinking of the South Korean ferry Sewol has determined that a steering failure followed by a cargo shift caused the vessel to capsize. The ferry sank on April 16, 2014, off Jindo-Gun, South Korea, resulting in the deaths of 304 out of 476 people on board, mostly high school students. The captain abandoned ship early and instructed passengers to stay in their cabins, potentially increasing the death toll. He was convicted of murder by omission and is serving a life sentence, while other crew members and a Korea Coast Guard officer were convicted of lesser offenses.

To recover all human remains and investigate the disaster’s cause, Korean authorities hired Shanghai Salvage to raise the Sewol intact from the seabed, marking the deepest wreck raising ever attempted. This effort provided investigators with unprecedented access to the sunken ship, allowing for a thorough examination. The Korea Maritime Safety Tribunal’s latest review focused on internal factors of the vessel, ruling out evidence of an external collision. Previous inquiries had already highlighted issues such as overloading and top-heaviness due to modifications.

The investigation found that a solenoid valve failure on the No. 2 steering pump led to a malfunction, causing the Sewol to heel over. The unsecured cargo then shifted to one side, exacerbating the situation. With insufficient stability to overcome the heeling moment, the vessel downflooded through hull penetrations and ultimately capsized. This conclusion aligns with a previous investigation in 2018, shedding light on the series of events that led to the tragic sinking of the Sewol ferry.

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