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A FERRY that served as a watery tomb for over 300 mainly schoolchildren off South Korea has been raised from the sea bed three years after the disaster.

The Sewol sank near the south western island of Jindo on 16 April 2014 in one of the worst civilian maritime disasters in the country's history.

The Sewol ferry has been dragged up from the deep in an extremely complex process
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The Sewol ferry has been dragged up from the deep in an extremely complex processCredit: EPA
The doomed ship sank three years ago, killing 304 mostly schoolchildren
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The doomed ship sank three years ago, killing 304 mostly schoolchildrenCredit: Reuters
The ship is thought to still contain the bodies of nine victims who were never recovered
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The ship is thought to still contain the bodies of nine victims who were never recoveredCredit: Reuters
It will take around two weeks to bring the ship to the coast around 55 miles away
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It will take around two weeks to bring the ship to the coast around 55 miles awayCredit: AP:Associated Press
Grieving families watch on as the ship is dragged from the water off Jindo Island, South Korea
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Grieving families watch on as the ship is dragged from the water off Jindo Island, South KoreaCredit: Reuters

An operation to winch it from the water has been completed and it is now being slowly towed 55 miles to the shore over the next two weeks.

Families of some of the 304 deceased have been present on the coastline watching the procedure as authorities expect there are at least nine bodies still on board.

"To see the Sewol again, I can't describe how I'm feeling right now," said Huh Hong-Hwan, who lost his 16-year-old daughter in the disaster.

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The highly complex mission to dredge up the 6,825 tonne vessel was one of the key demands by families to the government, whose lax regulations were blamed for its sinking.

Investigators also said that an inexperienced crew and cargo overloading were key factors.

The ship's captain, who along with some crew was rescued from the ship, was found guilty of murder.

The bodies of 295 out of the 304 people killed have been recovered
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The bodies of 295 out of the 304 people killed have been recoveredCredit: AP:Associated Press
The disaster led to the murder prosecution of the ship's captain and was used in an impeachment bill against President Park
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The disaster led to the murder prosecution of the ship's captain and was used in an impeachment bill against President ParkCredit: Getty Images
The government had been pressured by the families of the deceased to recover the 6,825 tonne vessel
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The government had been pressured by the families of the deceased to recover the 6,825 tonne vesselCredit: AP:Associated Press
Over 300 people were killed when the ship sank because of bad weather, overloaded cargo and crew incompetence
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Over 300 people were killed when the ship sank because of bad weather, overloaded cargo and crew incompetenceCredit: AP:Associated Press
It will take around two weeks to drag the wreckage to shore
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It will take around two weeks to drag the wreckage to shoreCredit: AP:Associated Press

Ousted President Park was forced to defend herself against accusations that she could not be reached for several hours on the day of the sinking.

These allegations formed part of a wider impeachment bill that saw her booted from office earlier this month.


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