According to South Korea’s Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, remains found on the raised Sewol ferry, that were initially thought to come from one of the nine missing victims, are finally said to come from animals. In particular, the National Forensic Service confirmed them as animal bone fragments, after conducting tests, BBC reports.
The ship was raised on March 23, after almost three years on the sea floor. Some days later, authorities found bones coming out of a window of a passenger room and decided that tests were needed, in order to determine whether they came from one or more persons. However, the ministry explained that the bones were not of human origin.
Sewol ferry was grounded on 16 April 2014, off Jindo, killing 304 people, the majority of whom were children on a school trip. The nine victims who are still missing are four school children, two teachers and a married couple and their child, according to BBC.
The ship is expected to reach Mokpo port, where there is going to be a research on the remains of the vessel, in order to determine the causes of the incident. Up to now, the disaster is said to be a combination of cargo overloading, crew’ s lack of experience and insufficient government regulations.
The ship’s captain was convicted of murder.
