Survivors claim cargo shift caused vehicle ferry to capsize in fatal accident off South Korea

Korea JoongAng Daily reports that the three people who were rescued after a vehicle ferry capsized off the southwestern coast of South Korea earlier this week said that the accident was caused by the cargo inadvertently shifting while the vessel was underway.

Korea Coast Guard officials said the incident occurred at around 18:35 local time on Monday, December 30, when the unnamed 83-tonne vessel overturned off the coast of Seosan, a city some 100 kilometres southwest of the capital Seoul.

Of the seven people who were believed to be on board, only three have been safely rescued. This number included two South Koreans and one foreign national.

A fourth individual was found suffering from cardiac arrest in one of the interior spaces shortly after 04:00 on Tuesday, December 31. This individual, who has been identified as the vessel's captain, was pronounced deceased shortly afterwards.

The survivors told coast guard personnel that the vessel's cargo of vehicles and heavy equipment suddenly shifted to one side as they were returning from a construction project. The vessel then tilted and eventually capsized with only its upturned keel remaining above the surface, and some of the occupants were forced to jump into the sea.

The coast guard is investigating whether the ferry's cargo had been properly secured before it sailed on the ill-fated voyage on Monday.

Search and rescue operations are still ongoing in an attempt to locate three other occupants who went missing following the incident.