A cell-phone video sent from by a trapped passenger in the final moments before a South Korean ferry capsized and sank, leaving some 300 people dead, has been released by the father of one of the victims.
The 15-minute video, shot by Park Su-hyeon, offerings a chilling glimpse of the last few minutes of the mostly teenaged passengers as they begin to realize they may not escape with their lives. The video is edited and blurred to obscure the faces of the teens. It was released to South Korean media by Park’s father.
Soon after the ferry Sewol begins to list, a group of passengers being filmed by Park, 17, talk of making selfies and posting the excitement later on Facebook, as a voice over the intercom urges students and teachers to remain in place, saying they’re safer where they are.
The Associated Press writes:
“The fear in the cabin builds as the listing becomes worse. Some say they feel dizzy, that their legs are shaking. One student can be seen walking with his hands braced against the wall for balance.
“‘Am I really going to die?’ a student asks at 8:53 a.m. April 16, less than two minutes into the video and two minutes before a crew member on the bridge made the ferry’s first distress call.”
One boy is heard saying “This looks like the end,” and another says “Mom, Dad, I love you.”
“This is by far the most heartbreaking scene I have seen in my 27-year broadcasting career,” said Choi Seung-ho, a veteran television producer, when he introduced the footage on Newstapa, a website run by the Korea Center for Investigative Journalism, according to The New York Times.
JTBC, a cable channel, also broadcast a shorter version of the video.
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