146 people dead in South Korea Ferry disaster

Disclaimer: This post was originally posted in TechNews on April 27, 2014

There are times in our life when we think we are going through a lot of struggle and pain. While we think about this, something so disastrous happens right in front of us that we forget about our struggle and pain and all we think of is the pain that the other people are going through.

We are still not out of the trauma of the missing Malaysian Airlines flight when a ferry sinks in South Korea. The Sewol (name of the ferry) was en route from Incheon, on South Korea's Northwest coast, to the Southern resort island of Jeju when it turned sharply, listed and began taking on water. There were more than 300 people in the boat including high school students.

Until now at least 146 people were confirmed dead, according to the joint task force leading the search. Earlier, when the death toll was reported to be 128, authorities had said that 174 people were still missing. The death toll had been expected to climb as divers were able to reach the ship's cafeteria, where many passengers were thought to be when the ship began to have troubles last week.

Just imagine how many people lost their loved ones in this tragic event. How many relations turn into memories which will always be associated with pain? How many parents lost their children, with whom they had seen their future? We sit here and complain that we are struggling because we don’t get good food or grades. How about those children who were struggling in that ferry for their lives, all because of one captain’s mistake.

I feel sad and ashamed over those people who played stupid pranks by sending messages to the parents of missing children saying that they were still alive and wanted their help. Don’t they have any emotions? Why do we always forget that what goes around, comes around? We have no right to play with someone’s emotions especially during this crucial time when we know that they are wishing for some good news but some people are just so senseless that they want to play pranks with them.

I don’t know about other people but for me such events are always an eye-opener. They let me reflect over my blessings and be thankful for whatever I have. They teach me the importance of relations and the uncertainty of life. They teach me how easy it is to lose your loved ones and how hard it is to wait for someone who has been missing for a while. They teach me how people survive through pain and how hard it is for them to resume their lives once again.

All I want to say is, please try be good to everyone around you. You never know when a person we know becomes a person we knew. What’s the use of living your life with guilt of not appreciating someone or something around you? All you have to do is to be a good person, not for others but for yourself because when you lose a relation, you are the only one who knows what you are going through.

Link to original post: 146 people dead in South Korea Ferry disaster