South Korean ferry that sank 3 years ago lifted from sea

Seoul, March 23 : Nearly three years after it capsized and sank into the violent seas off South Korea’s southwestern coast, workers slowly pulled up the 6,800-ton ferry Sewol from the water on Thursday, an emotional moment for a country that continues to search for closure to one of its deadliest disasters ever.
More than 300 people most of whom were students on a high school trip died when the Sewol sank on April 16, 2014, touching off an outpouring of national grief and soul searching about long-ignored public safety and regulatory failures.The public outrage over what was seen as a botched rescue job by the government contributed to the recent ouster of Park Geun-hye as president.
After hours of tests and preparations, workers on two barges began the salvaging operation last night, rolling up 66 cables connected to a frame of metal beams divers spent months putting beneath the ferry, which had been lying on its left side in about 40 meters of water.
By today morning, the right side of Sewol rose above the surface, allowing workers to climb on it and further fasten the ferry to the barges, according to the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries.
Salvage crews will load the ferry onto a semi-submersible, heavy-lift vessel that will carry it to a mainland port. The loading process, including emptying the ferry of water and fuel, is expected to take days. The bodies of 295 passengers were recovered after the sinking on April 16, 2014, but nine are still missing.