(LEAD) Final stage of testing begins before moving Sewol ferry onto land
(ATTN: UPDATES with latest information; CHANGES headline)
MOKPO, South Korea, April 8 (Yonhap) -- Workers started the final phase of testing on Saturday that could move the salvaged wreck of the Sewol ferry onto land if successful, government officials said.
Lee Cheol-jo, a senior government official in charge of the salvage operation, told reporters that workers will try to move the ferry onto land on Sunday if the final test succeeds.
Salvage workers have been trying to move the ferry onto land at the port of Mokpo, some 410 kilometers southwest of Seoul, from a semisubmersible transport ship. The ferry was raised from the bottom of the sea last month.
But the land-transfer operation has run into an obstacle, as the ferry is estimated to weigh about 16,000 tons due to water and mud that has entered the hull.
A total of 600 module transporters, or platform vehicles with a large array of wheels used to move massive objects, have been deployed, according to the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries.
The vessel sank off the country's southwestern coast near Jindo Island in April 2014, claiming more than 300 lives, mostly high school students on a school excursion. Nine of them still remain missing.
When the ferry is put in dry dock, it will be searched thoroughly for the remains of the victims.
(END)
-
S. Korea to resume issuing short-term travel visas, e-visas next month
-
Ateez to drop new Japanese EP next week
-
(LEAD) At least 8 injured in S-Oil refinery explosion in Ulsan: firefighters
-
Hyundai Motor to invest US$5 bln in U.S. for robotics, autonomous driving development
-
(News Focus) S. Korean firms in delicate balancing act over U.S. economic framework
-
S. Korea to resume issuing short-term travel visas, e-visas next month
-
(5th LD) Yoon, Biden agree to expand joint military exercises to cope with N.K. threats
-
(LEAD) Yoon, PPP lawmakers travel to Gwangju en masse to commemorate 1980 democracy uprising
-
(LEAD) At least 8 injured in S-Oil refinery explosion in Ulsan: firefighters
-
(LEAD) Biden set to arrive in S. Korea for first summit with Yoon
-
Military develops new helmet capable of stopping stronger pistol rounds
-
Agencies remain silent as V of BTS, BLACKPINK's Jennie rumored to be dating
-
Biden says he and Yoon 'married up'
-
Premier League Golden Boot winner Son Heung-min receives hero's welcome home
-
U.S.-led IPEF outweighs China-involving RCEP in population, GDP