In Remembrance | Sewol-Ho Ferry Tragedy

Sewol-Ho | 세월호

I don't mean to be offensive by bringing up this topic, so I apologize in advance if it is. The yellow ribbon is a symbol of hope and has been spread throughout SK in remembrance of those lost during this time.

The sinking of the Sewol-Ho Ferry or 세월호 (16 April, 2014) was one of the worst maritime disasters in South Korea and one of the most tragic events I've ever come across. On board this ship were 476 people, the majority of them at school-age and attending Danwon Highschool. They had planned a trip to Jeju right before exams when disaster struck, the boat having listed and thrown aside many safety precautions, also violating protocol. The captain had told everyone in the ferry to stay in their rooms as it was safer, leaving those who followed his words unable to escape. During this announcement, he was making his escape with a few of his crew. The children at the time had even filmed this and it's horrible to see them acting so... normal. Making jokes. Full of hope- of life, until they realized there was no help coming. Nobody in the video is here today, and many of the children would have reached their 20s by now. Unfortunately, only 172 of the 476 people made it home on that day. The captain is sentenced to a life in jail, yet it's not enough for the crime he committed.

Some of the crew that fulfilled their duties stayed behind and helped as many people as they could, handing out life jackets, supporting others and holding open doors. A five-year old girl was given a life jacket by her six-year old brother and pushed out of the boat to safety, while he didn't make it along with their parents. You can see people trying to break the windows with whatever they had as the water had already rushed halfway up on the outside of them. It's a horrible sight and whenever I see any video of the boat sinking, I feel so sick to the stomach knowing I'm watching so many innocents die.

All I wish is for nobody to forget these brave souls who lost their lives in this tragic accident and sacrificed themselves to help others escape. I really have no words. Nobody deserves to go in this way and this gloomy day sparked outrage in the community. So many people lost a part of themselves. So many were affected. These people were brothers, daughters, sisters, sons, future doctors, icons, parents, scientists... they never got to see what the future had in store for them. I hope the victims can finally rest at peace, and those who survived, I hope they can find happiness in their lives, live every day like it's a gift and change the world for the better.