China's state-run Shanghai Salvage wins US$73 million contract to help raise sunken South Korean ferry
Officials noted Shanghai Salvage’s experience, including the raising of the Eastern Star cruise ship that sank in China’s Yangtze River in June
South Korean officials announced Tuesday that a Chinese-led consortium had won the bidding to take on the massive task of raising the Sewol ferry that sank with the loss of over 300 lives a year ago.
The 6,825-tonne passenger ship sank off the country’s southwest coast in April 2014. Most of the dead were children on a school trip.
Nine remain unaccounted for in the accident, which deeply traumatised the nation, and the families of those still missing had led a campaign for the ferry to be brought to the surface.
On Tuesday, the maritime ministry formally named the consortium of China’s state-run Shanghai Salvage and a South Korean firm as the final winner of the 85.1 billion-won ($73 million) salvage tender.
Officials noted Shanghai Salvage’s experience, including the raising of the Eastern Star cruise ship that sank in China’s Yangtze River with the loss of more than 400 lives in June.