| The salvaged Sewol ferry, 1,089 days after its sinking, arrives on land on Sunday. The ship's weight of more than 17,000 tons, heavier than anticipated, has been delaying the salvage process. / Yonhap |
By Ko Dong-hwan
The salvaged Sewol ferry, which sank killing more than 300 passengers in 2014, was moved on to land at about 1 p.m. on Sunday, the government said. It took 1,089 days to bring the wreck onto land.
The transfer began at 9 a.m. after completing the final test for the operation, according to the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries.
About 600 module transporters carried the 6,800-ton vessel from a semi-submersible transport ship to a dry dock.
The ferry, carrying mostly Danwon High School students, was on its way from Incheon to Jeju Island, when it sank off the southwest coast near Jindo Island in April, killing 304 people.
The bodies of nine victims have not been recovered.
The ship was raised and moved on to a semi-submersible ship to Mokpo on Mar. 31.
On Monday morning, inspectors are expected to search for any remains of the missing people.