A ferry sinks off the coast of South Korea, taking dozens of lives and leaving hundreds trapped as the ship gradually went under water. The literary world also mourned the death of Noble Prize-winning author Gabriel Garcia Marquez, whose works live on forever.
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29 Dead, Hundreds Missing As South Korean Ferry Sinks
A South Korean ferry carrying at least 450 passengers flipped onto its side during transit, claiming 29 lives and leaving hundreds of other passengers missing.
The ferry was traveling from the northwest port of Incheon to the resort island of Jeju. Many of the passengers were high school students on a school trip.
29 people have been confirmed dead while around 270 people remain unaccounted for. The South Korean government originally pinned the number of rescued at 368, but a counting error later reduced the number to around 174.
Witnesses reported hearing a loud thump before the ship stopped and began sinking, though officials are still investigating the disaster’s cause. The captain was reportedly not at the helm when the ship started sinking and is now being charged with five violations that could imprison him for up to five years.
Family members of the missing were furious when bad weather stalled rescue efforts on Thursday. Furor over the pace of the rescue operations is mounting as days go by with hundreds still missing.
Nobel Prize-Winning Author Gabriel Garcia Marquez Dies
World-renowned author Gabriel Garcia Marquez passed away on Thursday at the age of 87.
The Colombian writer had been in fragile health for years. During that time, he continued to make public appearances that eventually dwindled as time went by.
Marquez was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1982. Throughout his career, Marquez penned various classic novels and stories, including his infamous One Hundred Years of Solitude and Love in the Time of Cholera.
Politicians and citizens around the globe mourned Marquez’s passing, cementing his place as one of history’s biggest literary giants.